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More Bracks Lies On Alpine Grazing

The Bracks Government has been caught out lying again about the facts of its decision to ban alpine grazing, Shadow Minister for Agriculture Philip Davis said today.

By Philip Davis - 2nd June 2005 - Back to News

Liberal Party Leader Robert Doyle, Central Highlands MP Graeme Stoney and Mr Davis met with cattlemen from all over the mountains at High Plains Lodge, Dinner Plain today to discuss the issue.

Mr Davis said the Bracks Government’s claims in the media during the past week that 10,000 cattle would still be allowed to graze in the high country in state forests was untrue.

But the Bracks Government’s own Alpine Grazing Taskforce Report contradicts this number, stating there would be less than 4,000 cattle outside the park.

Mr Davis said during discussion at today’s meeting, the Mountain Cattlemen’s Association of Victoria estimated it would actually be about 1,000 cattle that would be able to remain in the high country forest areas – a mere 10 per cent of what Steve Bracks has been telling the public.

"Along with their deliberately misleading advertising campaign vilifying the mountain cattlemen, the Bracks Government has also sent the message throughout Victoria that the ban on grazing in the Alpine National Park would not affect forest licenses," Mr Davis said.

"A maximum of 7914 adult equivalent cattle are licensed to graze in the Alpine National Park. Licenses issued for State forest in the high country in the general vicinity of the park allow about 10,000 cattle to graze, including about 4000 cattle under licenses which include areas above 1200 metres. National park licensees also hold licenses to graze about 6000 (of the 10,000) cattle in State forest."
- Alpine Grazing Taskforce Report, pg 18, Part 2.19.

"Many of the State forest grazing licence areas are contiguous with licence areas in the national park, having been a single licence area before the park was created."
- Alpine Grazing Taskforce Report, pg 17, Part 2.18.

This would mean mountain cattlemen who hold both licenses will lose both with this ban, not just the alpine grazing license. There is no natural boundary between the national parks and state forests and cattle can’t read maps.

Mr Davis said it must be noted that the taskforce did not investigate alpine grazing in State forests when preparing its report.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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