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Taxpayers Fund Labor’s Anti-Cattlemen Advertising Blitz

The Liberal Party has slammed the Bracks Government for its taxpayer funded advertising propaganda campaign, vilifying mountain cattlemen.

By Philip Davis - 25th May 2005 - Back to News

Shadow Minister for Agriculture Philip Davis said today’s Bracks Government advertising campaign which has saturated metropolitan daily newspapers and commercial radio was dishonest propaganda, aimed at not only selling its decision to ban alpine grazing but also denigrate 170 years of mountain cattlemen history.

"This is a shameless act of indecency on the part of the Bracks Government, vilifying farmers and cattlemen who, over 170 years involvement in the high country and alpine areas have sustained this environment," Mr Davis said.

"The advertisements in the daily newspapers feature a photograph of cattle which has clearly had its colour distorted to give the impression the cattle have turned the surrounding bushland into a dark, desolate bog.

"The radio campaigns are just as deceptive, giving the impression that cattle turn the pristine alpine environment into a noisy, unbearable place to be.

"Taxpayers should be outraged that they are funding this campaign, which is nothing but propaganda aimed at destroying the heritage of the mountain cattlemen and their 170 year affiliation with the high country."

Mr Davis said the Bracks Government had responsibility for managing public land and its own history of public land management was a disgrace, with rampant weed infestations and evidence from the 2003 alpine fires that the Bracks Government had failed to manage fuel loads.

"The Bracks Government has completely failed to take responsibility for public land management, yet it has the cheek to accuse the mountain cattlemen of causing environmental destruction.

"The Alpine National Park exists as a result of the long-term management of the environment by these mountain cattlemen.

"Meanwhile, we have these city-based, latte drinking, surf-board riding Minister John Thwaites pontificating about land management which he simply does not understand and does not care about the consequences to the families and communities. He doesn’t even know the difference between a cow and a steer.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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