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Labor Buries Its Head In The Sand While Farmers Lose Stock

Victorian farmers are bracing themselves for more livestock thefts over coming months, while the Bracks Government does nothing to prevent it, Shadow Minister for Agriculture Philip Davis said today.

By Philip Davis - 30th November 2004 - Back to News

Mr Davis said CrimeStoppers issued a warning to farmers on regional radio today that livestock theft was likely to increase as the affects of the drought begin to ease.

Despite repeated calls from the Liberal Party to re-instate the defunct Stolen Livestock Squad, the Minister for Agriculture Bob Cameron has continued to deny there is a problem with thefts of stock from farms in Victoria. (Liberal Policy attached)

"Livestock theft is the most common type of crime experienced by farmers in Australia, and affects one in every 12 farms in the broadacre and dairy industries," Mr Davis said. (Crime Prevention Victoria www.crimeprevention.vic.gov.au)

"Because most livestock theft occurs at night or on weekends, many farmers do not realise they have been victims of livestock theft until some time afterwards.

"I have spoken to farmers and police who admit the majority of victims of livestock theft do not report the crimes to police for a variety of reasons, but often they do not have faith in the current policing system to recover their lost stock."

The CrimeStoppers warning provides the Bracks Government with a window of opportunity to take action on livestock theft, instead of continuing to ignore it.

Mr Davis said a Liberal Government would reinstate the Stolen Livestock Squad.

"A specialist squad to combat livestock theft and other farm crimes is desperately needed," he said.

"The first step in trying to restore farmers’ confidence and getting results is to re-introduce this squad.

"Farmers have been losing millions of dollars every year to this crime.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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