Tuesday 8 May 2018
Background
Daniel Andrews’ city-centric Labor government is leaving livestock – and farmers’ livelihoods – under threat.
Wild dog controllers have been banned from using larger dog control traps due to”animal welfare concerns”.
These traps are used to trap wild dogs that viciously maim disembowel and kill lambs calves and native fauna.
Asked about it in Parliament today Agriculture Minister Jaala Pulford appeared to have no idea the ban in place since December 30 had been implemented.
Regular wild dog attacks on livestock have a devastating financial and emotional toll on landholders in North East Victoria and Gippsland.
But the Andrews Labor Government has progressively dismantled successful control measures to appease Greens voters in Melbourne.
When it was elected Labor sacked the well-qualified Wild Dog Advisory Committee and axed the wild dog bounty before giving in to calls to reinstate the bounty more than 12 months later.
Comment attributable to Shadow Minister for Agriculture Peter Walsh
High country farmers and communities are beyond frustrated at Labor’s lack of interest and lack of leadership on wild dog control.
Labor’s more interested in protecting itself against losing city votes to the Greens than it is the welfare of livestock and our landholders.
It’s no wonder country people feel ignored by Labor when the Agriculture Minister will always go in to bat for the interests of Melbourne’s Fitzroy latte sippers over our farmers.
The Premier for Melbourne should remember: the only good fox is a dead fox and the only thing better is a dead wild dog.