Victoria's peak farming body has come out swinging opposing legislation allowing campers easy access to Crown land river frontage via private property.
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The Victorian Farmers' Federation has stepped up its opposition to the legislation which has already passed through the parliament and is due to come into effect from September 1.
The VFF is fine tuning a submission during the six-week feedback period ending on April 19 including a review process after 12 months to overturn any regulations which were proving unworkable and impacting on farmer livelihoods.
"It's about protecting the rights of farming families and fighting for what's fair," VFF president Emma Germano said.
"There's no doubt what is proposed poses unacceptable risk to privacy and safety, biosecurity, food security and to the environment.
"We must have the option of a review process in 12 months' time to overturn any regulations that aren't working.
"The Victorian government needs to step back and urgently look at this from a landholder's perspective."
Murray River Action Group has called an emergency meeting on Tuesday at Howlong to fine tune its opposition to the legislation.
"It is fine in theory as far as the city people are concerned," MRAG president Richard Sargood said.
"But being put into practice on the ground it is going to be an absolute dog's breakfast."
The meeting will take place at the Howlong community hall from 6pm.
The VFF has lobbied the state government and individual MPs to make changes during the legislation's passage through both houses of parliament.
IN OTHER NEWS
The Victorian Fisheries Authority and the Department of Environment Land Water and Planning to deliver the government's election promise to improve public access to Crown land.
The VFF is pushing for changes aimed at protecting farmer privacy, the environment and biosecurity.
A government spokesperson has previously stated it was delivering on an election promise from 2018 and the regulations have been welcomed by more than 800,000 fishers and campers.
The VFA has power to prosecute people who chose to disregard Victorian laws.
"There will be a 24-hour hotline for reporting misconduct and the Victorian Fisheries Authority will continue to work together with the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Parks Victoria and Victoria Police to enforce regulations once they are in place," the spokesperson said.
Under the legislation, campers can stay on a property for 28 days, but the VFF is advocating the time allowed to be slashed to five days and increase the 100m setback from dwellings to 500m.
There should also be no access along closed or unused roads traversing private property.
Camper-owned dogs or other pets should not be allowed with no vehicles permitted including motorbikes.
Farmers should be allowed to erect signs regarding private, public boundaries and biosecurity protocols.
Guns should also be strictly prohibited and there should be COVID safe style registration of campers via VFA app.
Camping should only be allowed where there is CFA access.
Farmers have also raised the likelihood of paying increased insurance premiums when the regulations come into effect.
Landowners have also pushed for the upgrade of existing riverside campsites to eliminate the need to enter private property.
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