Firearm ban = safe society
I refer to the letter from Robert Brown MLC, Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party, in the Harden Murrumburrah Express on 21 April 21.
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I believe the response by the federal government of the day, with firearms restrictions following the dreadful Port Arthur incident, was an appropriate response, and was supported by most Australians.
Unlike the US, Australia has witnessed only a few such violent incidents involving firearms. Australians are grateful for this, and in general, most would agree that we still live in a relatively safe society.
I agree the crux of the issue is with illegal activities, however, sensible restrictions will help to minimise this. This is what the public desires, as does our over stretched law enforcement agencies. Law abiding citizens, including our farmers will have no issue with this, and I disagree that they are being ‘branded’ as ‘criminals in waiting’; because they are not. There has been an increase in illegal hunting and complaints from distressed landholders, traumatised by illegal hunting trespass on their properties. This illegal hunting is often under the guise of ‘sport and recreation’. Landholders are fearful for their own lives as well as describing the carnage left by weekend warriors who blast away at any animal that moves.
In February, after months of negative media publicity about the devastating impact of illegal hunting trespass on rural landholders, the Baird Government announced the establishment of the Stock Theft and Trespass Review, to be conducted by the well-respected former Assistant Commissioner of Police, Stephen Bradshaw.
For those not aware, in spite of trying to portray being on the side of farmers, it was the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party who recently supported with their votes, the state Liberal/National coalition’s pushing through of the anti-protesting laws. Now, a NSW citizen, including land owners, many of whom are rural, who wish to protest against mining including coal seam gas, potentially face stiff financial penalties and/or imprisonment.
What I am referring to includes charges and potential charges being laid against people like former Wallabies captain David Pocock, and the infamous ‘Knitting Nanas’. These totally un-Australian laws aim to stop protests about coal seam gas mining in the Pilliga Forest, where Santos has been responsible for a long list of pollution incidents, including contaminating groundwater aquifers with uranium and other toxic heavy metals. No Santos executives, however, faced jail for their long lasting and devastating environmental damage that impacts us all. In addition to environmental protests, these laws will also affect protests about better wages and conditions, our public health system and protests against unnecessary wars. People do not take lightly to breaking the law to voice their concerns. They do it because they have a sense of social justice and strong democratic views that are not being heard.
The Law Society of NSW and the NSW Bar Association also strongly condemned an extension of NSW anti-protest laws. Our un-democratic state NSW Liberal/National coalition, however, ignored this and rammed these unjust laws through the NSW parliament with the help of a few of their ‘friends’, as they are attempting to do with forced council mergers.
Prior to that, the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party also supported with their votes, the state Liberal/National coalition’s pushing through of the Ag Gag legislation under the guise of ‘biosecurity’. Now, an individual distressed by animal cruelty or abuse, who is unable to have the authorities act, and who chooses to document that cruelty/abuse to have it stopped, and the perpetrators prosecuted, faces fines of up to $1mil or three years’ imprisonment.
These penalties are far beyond any ever imposed in animal cruelty/abuse cases. If activists were to uncover extreme cruelty or unlawful abuse, for example, they would face much harsher punishment than the perpetrators of the cruelty and abuse. Rather than punishing the perpetrators of animal cruelty and abuse, this Ag Gag legislation (originally instigated by local MP, Katrina Hodgkinson), will unfairly target undercover investigators and investigative journalists who expose animal cruelty and abuse. The now exposed greyhound industry live baiting scandal is just one such example. Ag Gag will also target whistle blowers, who will be deterred from exposing animal cruelty and abuse in their workplaces or communities due to the real fear of losing their jobs or retaliations. It was also Mr Brown’s party who lobbied their way into the state Liberal/National coalition’s ear to open up our national parks for shooting.
The Liberal/National Party coalition are gradually eroding away all that is democratic in terms of community desires, civil rights and freedom of speech. The Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party are aiding and abetting this coalition quest.
Please focus on the issues Mr Brown rather than the self-interest. Rural voters are no-ones’ fool.
Lisa J Ryan
Harden Murrumburrah Shire
Petition proves disgust
One of the strategies engaged by those opposing the Blantyre Farms development application for an intensive pig factory in Harden has been an online petition promoted by Change.org.
At the time of writing 24,975 people have signed or commented on the petition site. These people are not “far away activists” as a Harden councillor described those opposing the pig factory on local radio.
They are mostly every Australians from all walks of life, horrified about the cruelty of intensive pig “farming”. They include locals and ex-locals, vets, lawyers, farmers and ex-piggery workers.
The unacceptable abuse is systemic and occurs day in and day out for the pigs. No amount of Ag gag laws and whatever else politicians try to impose, will hide the truth.
Some of the treatment of these animals is legal, however, many maintain it is government sanctioned animal abuse and if such treatment was undertaken on a companion animal, it would be grounds for prosecution. Another form of sanctioned animal abuse is the mutilations undertaken without any form of pain relief. This factory farming is not acceptable to millions of people including religious leaders.
A civilised society should not condone the intensive factory farming of sentient beings.
Whatever our background, we are a growing army against factory farming. This letter only covers some aspects of animal cruelty. In addition to the concerns people have about the living nightmare for animals, they are also concerned about the adverse affects of factory farming on human health and the environment.