Calls for extention on stock route agistment
A NUMBER of local graziers are challenging the State Government to reconsider stock route legislation that is forcing drought-effected, weakened stock to move off reserves after a twenty-eight-day period.
While the Opposition is calling for State Government to waive stock route fees, the Longreach Shire Council chief executive officer Fred de Waard believes local landholders are more concerned with the period of time they are allowed to agist stock on reserves rather than the cost involved.
"I don’t think the issue is with the fees, I think landholders have an issue with the fact that they can only agist their stock on the stock route for two, 28-day periods," Mr de Waard said.
"After this time they are forced to move on. Property owners are transporting cattle across the shire between reserves.
"The period of time that people can facilitate these reserves is under the act, so unfortunately the council can’t do anything about it."
After approval has been made to agist stock on these council-managed, State-owned parcels of land, graziers can agist their stock for 28 days.
Within that initial period, they can again apply for another 28 days.
If unsuccessful, or after a total of 56 days, the grazier must remove their cattle and apply for agistment on another reserve.
Local grazier Keith Gordon of ‘El Kantara’ near Longreach emphasised that while he could understand the premise of the legislation, he thought that with ensuing drought it was time to change.
"In the past stock routes have been abused and people have got on them and stayed way longer than they were meant to," Mr Gordon said.
"Every area is different and we have heard reports of people outside the Central West, flogging their country so they could get on the stock route.
"But we are people from the area, it is not like our stock are travelling through, and with the drought it is time to create some exceptional circumstances clauses allowing for local landholders with drought-effected stock to stay on these reserves for longer."
Along with three other graziers from the region, Mr Gordon hopes to make some real changes to the legislation by appealing to the government.
"I’ve got no real issue with the fees, I think they are very reasonable.
"But with the drought, you have to get your cattle to the stage where they can travel to agistment or be sold.
"Our 56-day period expires the middle of next month for us. These cattle are in pretty poor condition and could have done with another 28 days.
"This is a big worry for us."
While the Opposition is calling for State Government to waive stock route fees, the Longreach Shire Council chief executive officer Fred de Waard believes local landholders are more concerned with the period of time they are allowed to agist stock on reserves rather than the cost involved.
"I don’t think the issue is with the fees, I think landholders have an issue with the fact that they can only agist their stock on the stock route for two, 28-day periods," Mr de Waard said.
"After this time they are forced to move on. Property owners are transporting cattle across the shire between reserves.
"The period of time that people can facilitate these reserves is under the act, so unfortunately the council can’t do anything about it."
After approval has been made to agist stock on these council-managed, State-owned parcels of land, graziers can agist their stock for 28 days.
Within that initial period, they can again apply for another 28 days.
If unsuccessful, or after a total of 56 days, the grazier must remove their cattle and apply for agistment on another reserve.
Local grazier Keith Gordon of ‘El Kantara’ near Longreach emphasised that while he could understand the premise of the legislation, he thought that with ensuing drought it was time to change.
"In the past stock routes have been abused and people have got on them and stayed way longer than they were meant to," Mr Gordon said.
"Every area is different and we have heard reports of people outside the Central West, flogging their country so they could get on the stock route.
"But we are people from the area, it is not like our stock are travelling through, and with the drought it is time to create some exceptional circumstances clauses allowing for local landholders with drought-effected stock to stay on these reserves for longer."
Along with three other graziers from the region, Mr Gordon hopes to make some real changes to the legislation by appealing to the government.
"I’ve got no real issue with the fees, I think they are very reasonable.
"But with the drought, you have to get your cattle to the stage where they can travel to agistment or be sold.
"Our 56-day period expires the middle of next month for us. These cattle are in pretty poor condition and could have done with another 28 days.
"This is a big worry for us."
posted by dr mcgillicudy's cudsong at 9:12 AM
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