ANIMAL activists trespassing on farms across the state will face harsher penalties under new measures announced by the State Government in the Barossa last week.
Attorney-General Vickie Chapman, Primary Industries Minister Tim Whetstone and Member for Finniss David Basham were at Moppa dairy farmer Jamie Nietschke’s property to announce a new aggravated farm trespass criminal offence and increased penalties for trespassing offenders are set to be included in a draft bill now out for public consultation.
Ms Chapman acknowledged the bill was likely to “generate strong feelings from many in the community”.
“The new aggravated farm trespass offence would penalise a person who trespassed on primary production land and interfered with the conduct of primary production activities on the land, or did anything that puts the safety of people on the land at risk,” she said.
“These are serious crimes and we recommend the penalties match – a $10,000 fine or 12 months imprisonment, along with compensation to the farmer.
“We are also proposing an increase to the penalties applying under a number of trespass offences that already exist under the Summary Offences Act 1953.”
Currently, the maximum fine for trespassing is $2500, with the draft bill proposing doubling the fine if the trespassing occurs on primary production land.
Ms Chapman said “vigilante” activists trespassing on a farm to promote their cause are “unquestionably breaking the law”.
“These changes strike the right balance between people’s right to protest and free speech and the need to ensure adequate legal protections for this important part of our economy,” she said.
“Animal rights activists are tremendously passionate about their cause but trespassing and causing damage on private property is not an acceptable way of getting a message across.”
In June, a shed containing machinery and feed on a Korunye dairy farm was destroyed by arsonists, causing major delays to the property’s operations.
Mr Whetstone said farmers deserve “adequate” protection from activists.
“The proposed new aggravated trespass offence and stronger penalties will send a message to protestors or activists that in South Australia, if you break the law and put our farmers and supply chains at risk, you will be penalised,” he said.
“I’ve been working with the livestock and other agricultural industries to better understand the impact of farm trespass and options to create stronger deterrents to protect the farming community.
“Our primary producers are critical to the state’s economy and that’s why we are strengthening our trespass laws to recognise the additional risks that these protesters can have on primary production – which could lead to potential food contamination or biosecurity risks.”