Environment Victoria will today inflate a giant cow in central Ballarat as part of its Cut the Crap campaign to highlight the issue of cows trampling and polluting the state’s rivers and creeks.
Livestock grazing on river banks is the number one manageable impact on river health in Victoria.
Environment Victoria Healthy Rivers Campaign Manager Juliet Le Feuvre said today:
“You wouldn’t expect to see cows grazing in central Ballarat. It’s a highly inappropriate place for a cow to be, as are river banks throughout Victoria.”
“Yet Victorian governments of all political stripes have repeatedly extended licenses to allow cows, sheep and other livestock to trample on public land on river banks throughout Victoria where they are causing serious environmental damage and pollution by defecating in waterways.”
“Fencing stock out of rivers brings great benefits for wildlife and enhances water quality. Unrestricted livestock access is a key impact on river health in the Ballarat area and has the potential to be a risk to human health as well.”
“Statewide around 4,500 tonnes of cow poo ends up in rivers and creeks every day.”
“Fencing the rivers would cut down water treatment costs, help reduce flood damage, create a wildlife corridor and improve habitat for fish. Fencing programs create regional jobs, improve property values and make stock management easier for farmers. This is a readily manageable problem with a simple solution.”
“Ballarat residents already pay an environmental levy on their water bills which raises more than $100 million per year statewide to cover the costs of policies like this. The Napthine government has made a start by committing an extra $20 million from the levy to fencing programs but much more needs to be done.”
“Environment Victoria is calling on all political parties to make a fully funded commitment to excluding livestock from all public land and restoring our river banks. Livestock belong in paddocks, not on river banks.”
“Our politicians need to cut the crap and get on with the job of fencing stock out of Victoria’s rivers.”
What: Inflation of giant cow
When: Wednesday 26 November, 11.00 am
Where: Sturt St (between Doveton and Dawson Sts), Ballarat
Juliet Le Feuvre is available for comment 0428 770 019
For more detail on what’s required to get livestock off all public land on river banks click here