The State Government has broken its promise to deliver legislation aimed at deterring animal activists as a priority, with Premier Mark McGowan admitting no legislation had been drafted and refusing to commit to a timeframe for its introduction.
In Parliament this week, Leader of The Nationals WA Mia Davies accused the McGowan Government of dragging its heels when it came to introducing the legislation.
“The Attorney General presented a submission to Cabinet back in June but since then we haven’t heard a peep about any new legislation, increased trespass penalties or the community-based orders that have been repeatedly promised,” Ms Davies said.
The Premier told Parliament yesterday: “The legislation will be introduced when it is drafted. We cannot introduce legislation if it has not been drafted.”
Ms Davies said the Premier wouldn’t comment on a timeframe for the legislation.
“Whether that is a week, a month, or a year from now is anyone’s guess,” Ms Davies said.
“While the McGowan Government has its head in the sand, criminal activists continue to intimidate and harass lawfully operating farms and businesses with apparent impunity.”
Ms Davies said statistics obtained by The Nationals WA from the Police Minister showed the issue wasn’t going away.
“In the first six months of 2019 there were more than 500 instances of trespass and over 170 incidents of livestock, agricultural equipment or machinery theft recorded on rural properties,” she said.
“Despite these alarming statistics, Labor has done nothing to dissuade the criminal actions of animal activists.”
Ms Davies said the Premier’s remarks continued to expose the McGowan Government as “all hat and no cattle” when it came to standing up for regional farmers, families and communities.
“Earlier this year the Attorney General vowed to bring this legislation into Parliament as a matter of priority, yet all we see from the McGowan Government is hollow promises,” Ms Davies said.
“We’re now well into the third year of this city-centric McGowan Government and he’s still blaming every problem on the previous Liberal-National Government,” she said.
