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Latest Blow For Country Vic - Bracks Slashes Pest Control

Country Victoria would be over-run with pest plants and animals if the Bracks Government had its way, Shadow Minister for Country Victoria Philip Davis said today.

By Philip Davis - 21st July 2005 - Back to News

The neglect of country Victoria is becoming farcical, Mr Davis said, with the Bracks Government now slashing pest animal and plant control staff.

Mr Davis told Parliament today that the Bracks Government was already known as Victoria’s ‘neighbour from hell’ for allowing pest plants and animals to take over public land throughout the state.

Now, Labor is further abandoning its responsibility by cutting back Department of Primary Industry staff appropriately trained to tackle these problems on public land, Mr Davis told the Parliament.

"The Agriculture Minister Bob Cameron obviously cannot recognise what pest plants or animals are, because he is now willing to cut back staff employed to assist with these problems," Mr Davis said.

Bob Cameron has approved the slashing of pest plant and animal control positions from all over Victoria, including: Ovens, Corryong, Whitfield, Euroa, Beechworth, Seymour, Orbost, Mirboo North and Yarram.

"Reducing on-ground management of this issue will only lead to further devastation in country areas."

Mr Davis said it was an absolute disgrace that the Bracks Government was continually cutting back essential services to country Victoria.

"We are already over-run by blackberries, foxes, rabbits and wild dogs; no-one in the country will enjoy the comfort of natural gas heating during a cold winter; farmers will continue to suffer the drought with minimal state-based relief; mountain cattlemen will be locked out of the high country; and country Victoria will become a dumping ground for the state’s toxic waste," he said.

"The Bracks Government has wrapped country Victorians in a never-ending roll of red tape and Labor continues to dump on country Victoria time and time again.

"To now take away pest control in the country is just ludicrous. What will it take for Steve Bracks and his Agriculture Minister to stop their hate campaign against country Victoria?"

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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