Political pressure on farm fence ‘error’

Two months ago, the State Government widely distributed a draft Bass Coast Statement of Planning Policy clearly outlining proposed landscape planning controls.

This is a very serious document as the State Government proposes to legislate to have the proposals become law. Many of the Government proposals will adversely affect farmers in Bass Coast and have been of great concern since the document was released.

As a farmer and fencing contractor in Bass Coast, I have taken a close interest in the government’s proposals. The document was drafted by officers from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning and without doubt, would have been subjected to close scrutiny throughout its formation and prior to its release.

It would have certainly been signed off by government prior to public release. This is of course understandable as it is for proposed legislation.
Indeed, the declaration of an area under the Act triggers the requirement for the Minister for Planning to prepare a Statement of Planning Policy (SPP) for the declared area.

Among the issues of great concern to farmers was the following on page 22 and I quote direct from the document: “A permit is required to construct a fence. This does not apply to a post and rail fence up to 1.8 metres in height”.

The document was under development for two years yet only two months was given for public submissions. On May 18, 2022 the major rural paper in Victoria, the Weekly Times ran a front page story headlined, Farms Under Fire and highlighted amongst other things, the requirement for farmers to gain a permit before building a fence on the Bass Coast (Page 1).

The government did not refute this story or others which have circulated since the proposals were released two months ago.

Many farmers in Bass Coast contacted the Liberal Party candidate for Bass, Aaron Brown, asking him to take up the matter on their behalf which he certainly did. As a result, the present Labor MP for Bass Jordan Crugnale responded by saying that the requirement to obtain a permit for a farm fence was, and I quote: “A drafting error”.

It was no drafting error, but knowing Ms Crugnale is under serious challenge, the government has clearly moved to kill off their clumsy attempt to make farmers obtain a permit before building a farm fence and in doing so have effectively thrown the public servants from DELWP under the tractor. How pathetic.

Aaron Brown obviously has the local member under pressure but instead of effectively accusing DELWP public servants of making a “drafting error” she should simply have stated the government would withdraw this totally unreasonable proposal. This is not the end of the matter and I understand Mr Brown is pursuing the other issues of great concern to local farmers. Well done Mr Brown, keep up the good work.

Tim Richards, Glen Alvie.