An emotionally charged crowd of 185 landholders ensured their distaste for proposed changes to cattle tick management was understood at Sunday’s biosecurity meeting in Taroom.
Queensland chief veterinary officer, Allison Crook, outlined the provisions within the Biosecurity Act 2014 due to commence July 1, 2016.
Most noticeable within the new regulations is the complete removal of the control zone, or area separating tick free and infested zones.
Ms Crook said the new Act differed from current regulations in that it was outcomes based rather than prescriptive.
“Essentially it puts you in charge of your biosecurity decisions and how you will meet your obligations,” she said.
“It’s more flexible and puts risk-based decision making with you.
“This may mean tick inspections be carried out on property where landholders can apply to become accredited to complete inspections.”
It was this ‘self regulatory’ idea that had landholders angry. Many deemed the new regulations entirely flawed and ‘hopeless.’
Chair of the original Taroom Shire tick eradication campaign, Paul Wright, Woongarra, Taroom, said tick free landholders who reverted to infested areas under new legislation but wished to remain clean should be congratulated but would not reap any rewards for their efforts.
“Rest assured these changes will offer no monetary assistance from government whatsoever,” he said.
“The parasite subsidy is a pittance. Every bit of assistance should be targeted at peripheral properties because they bear all the costs and do all the work.
“If you find yourself in the new infested area but decide to remain clean you will have to pay for everything and you won’t simply be able to move stock whenever and wherever you like.”
Bill Blackley, Biloela, Wandoan, said landholders could not afford to lose their tick free status.
“We’re going backwards. The tick line could have been across to the coast years ago if the department had been proactive and looked after our producers,” he said.
AgForce cattle president Bim Struss said new legislation warranted serious consideration into the practicalities of a single fence line preventing infested stock contacting clean stock.
“We don’t want to see anyone worse off. To have to go through this process we do need to see improvement and we do need assurance,” he said.
“This community has been incredibly strong. They’ve done the work to get themselves clean and they’ve kept extending the line so it is possible.”
As the debate unfolds in coming weeks landholders will continue the push to safeguard two decades worth of effort in eradicating cattle tick and the negative industry impacts associated with it.