- Published:
- Tuesday 17 March 2015
The Andrews Labor Government will today deliver on its election commitment to ban cattle from Victoria’s Alpine National Park, forever.
The Labor Government will today introduce legislation into the Victorian Parliament banning grazing in the Alpine National Park, as well as in the River Red Gum national parks.
The introduction of the National Parks Amendment (Prohibiting Cattle Grazing) Bill 2015 will amend the National Parks Act 1975 to prohibit cattle grazing for any purpose in these national parks.
This legislation comes 10 years after the Bracks Labor Government passed legislation to end cattle grazing in the Alpine National Park.
The Labor Government acted quickly to close down the cattle grazing trial in the Alpine National Park, which was introduced in 2014 by the previous Coalition Government under the guise of a three-year trial investigating the role of grazing in mitigating fire risk.
Extensive scientific research has shown that grazing in Victoria’s alpine areas is detrimental to the environment and doesn’t have any value in reducing bushfire risk or fuel loads in alpine areas.
The Labor Government will ensure a range of bushfire mitigation measures continue, including planned burns and other fuel management methods.
River Red Gum national parks include Barmah, Gunbower, Hattah-Kulkyne, Lower Goulburn, Murray-Sunset and Warby-Ovens.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Environment, Lisa Neville
“Our national parks are for people to enjoy, not cows to destroy. The science is clear, cattle doesn’t reduce bushfire risk in alpine areas, and they damage the alpine environment.”
“The Andrews Labor Government has acted so that alpine grazing will never happen again – we have closed the loophole that allowed the Coalition’s so called ‘scientific trial’.”
“By introducing this legislation today, we have ensured that Victoria’s Alpine National Park and the River Red Gum national parks are free of cattle for future generations.”