Drovers Fined For Breaking Road Rules

February 9, 2014

Graziers desperately looking for feed along stock routes and “the long paddock” have been advised to talk with their local council – and police – about road agistment rules and regulations.

Agriculture Minister John McVeigh said today there had been recent cases where police had fined drovers for failing to abide by the road rules.

“This includes, for example, that motorcycles be road-registered and for riders to wear helmets,” he said.

Mr McVeigh urged everyone in charge of stock being fed along roads and stock routes to ensure they fully understood and complied with permit conditions and particularly with road and traffic rules.

“Anyone unsure of these need to check with the local shire office and with their local police, particularly on the road rules to avoid fines,” he said.

He said graziers should call their local council to apply for permits for using stock routes.

These permits were also available from the Department of Natural Resources and Mines, which is responsible for managing stock routes.

“A stock route grazing (agistment) permit is needed to agist stock on stock routes, reserves for travelling stock, and on roads and other land under the control of local councils,” Mr McVeigh said.

“The first step in this process is to contact local government.

“We are standing behind graziers through this drought and want to ensure they have all the information they need about the support we are giving them.”