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Council welcomes Right To Farm responseLatrobe City Council has welcomed initial State Government response to a report prepared by the ‘Right To Farm’ Working Group By Latrobe City Council - 2nd May 2001 - Back to News Latrobe City Council has welcomed initial State Government response to a report prepared by the ‘Right To Farm’ Working Group, which discusses potential disputes between farmers engaged in legitimate and acceptable farming practices, and neighbours who consider their amenity and lifestyle to be adversely affected by farming.
Latrobe City Mayor, Councillor Brendan Jenkins, said the report highlighted a number of potential areas of conflict, stating examples; but emphasised there was no simple legislative fix to such complex problems such as all embracing ‘Right To Farm’ legislation.
"The report does however make several recommendations which the State Government has already indicated it will address, and several of those recommendations complement Council’s own thinking and direction on rural issues," Cr Jenkins said.
Councillor Jenkins said the subdivision of some rural areas into hobby farms and rural residential blocks brought many residents into close contact with the reality of rural living.
"Some find that their own expectations of a country lifestyle cannot in fact be realised because of the legitimate activities of their farmer neighbours. There can be a potential cause of conflict, with noise, odour, dust, visual amenity, road access and other issues becoming the subject of dispute between neighbours," Cr Jenkins said.
"The first recommendation of the report tackles the reality of the situation, advising an amendment to the Sale of Land Act which would require vendor statements to include a warning about possible impacts on lifestyle amenity due to adjacent agricultural practices. This complements Council’s own direction in creating awareness of the reality of living in rural areas.
"Council has on its books a resolution to formulate and provide information on many of the realities of living in rural areas to prospective purchasers. Apart from agricultural practices, there are practical aspects of rural living to be considered such as unsealed roads, footpaths, garbage services, water supply, fire risk, responsibilities on roadside weeds and animal husbandry, and the isolation experienced by some family members," Cr Jenkins said.
"Another key aspect of the ‘Right To Farm’ report deals with the mediation of any disputes between landowners over amenity issues. Disputes may arise on issues such as tractor or irrigation pump noise at night, stock movement on roads, spray drift, nutrient run-off, or odour from broiler farms. There is already relevant legislation covering all of these areas of potential dispute, and mediation can be an effective way of resolving issues. Part of the Government’s determination is to establish a Rural Dispute Settlement Centre which will be able to provide mediation on issues such as these, which in most cases will be able to resolve the issue amicably and avoid judicial processes except as a last resort," Cr Jenkins added.
"Right To Farm is a practical way of identifying ways in which the farming community and rural residents can understand each other’s needs and work together to reduce the likelihood of any disputes arising from agricultural practices or ignorance of the realities of rural living. It doesn’t provide farmers with carte blanche to carry out agricultural practices regardless, but it does provide a mechanism to resolve potential conflict," Cr Jenkins concluded.
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: latrobecity@gippslander.com
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