TasFarmers, Media Release, 29 April 2024
Tasmania’s peak farming body is calling for Federal or State intervention to ensure drought-breaking fodder is moved from Victoria to King Island.
TasFarmers said bloody-mindedness is preventing 500 plus tons of fodder from leaving Apollo Bay in Victoria, the closest port to King Island.
President, Ian Sauer, said the blocking of shipping to move the much-needed feed displayed a total lack of understanding of the dire situation in which King Island farmers find themselves and it was even more ridiculous because it is without any explanation.
“This is the tail wagging the dog, our understanding is the Victorian Government will cover the cost of moving the feed to a viable port if needed,” Mr Sauer said.
After the Black Summer Fire in Victoria, the King Island Community sent 700 bales of hay and silage to farmers in NSW and Victoria, and those farmers now hope to return their generosity and kindness by sending feed to desperate farmers on the Island.
Mr Sauer said, “The feed bound for the Island is ready to go, but a decision not to allow the feed and fodder to leave from Apollo Bay is a disaster, a selfish un-Australian decision.
“Farmers on King Island are experiencing some of the worst dry conditions in the last 100 years.
“Farmers are at their wit’s end and their psychological well-being is seriously threatened, not to mention their livelihoods.
“This is a six-hour boat trip which in some cases will save a lifetime of work.
“Apollo Bay is the closest mainland commercial port to King Island. Other ports don’t provide the best access for the immediate purposes of shipping critical supplies of fodder to address animal welfare concerns and drought relief on King Island.
“We have every part of this supply chain being donated, or done at cost, NRE doing seed sampling, donated fodder through the Lions Club charity need for feed, land transport, sea transport, the only ones not playing ball is the port of Apollo Bay,” Mr Sauer said.
Mr Sauer said this is an emergency, and the control of the port at Apollo Bay should be taken over by either the State or Federal governments to resolve the impasse.
“All of the correct protocols are being taken with biosecurity tests for weed contamination being expedited.
“This crisis is an exceptional circumstance warranting immediate action to mitigate the unprecedented fodder shortage and animal welfare crisis on King Island.
“To hold a small, island-bound rural community to ransom for ideological reasons is tantamount to economic and social vandalism,” Mr Suaer Said.
