{"id":233118,"date":"2019-04-14T15:47:33","date_gmt":"2019-04-14T05:47:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=233118"},"modified":"2019-04-14T15:51:16","modified_gmt":"2019-04-14T05:51:16","slug":"protesters-face-652-fines","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2019\/04\/14\/protesters-face-652-fines\/","title":{"rendered":"Protesters Face $652 Fines"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Agricultural Industry Development Minister Mark Furner<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

April 14, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

Animal rights activists who invade farms and meatworks in Queensland will face $652.75 fines.<\/p>\n

The fines will either be issued by police or biosecurity officers on-the-spot, or later after a review of evidence collected at the protest site.<\/p>\n

The Biosecurity Regulation 2016 will be amended to include this new penalty.<\/p>\n

The move was endorsed by the Animal Industry Security Taskforce which consists of officials from the Department of Agriculture, Police, AgForce and the Queensland Farmers Federation when they met last Thursday.<\/p>\n

Police Minister Mark Ryan said the new fines were a welcome new measure for police in combatting illegal and dangerous behaviour by reckless animal activists.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Agriculture Minister Mark Furner said as well as on-the-spot fines, protesters could also face the courts and possible jail time on trespass charges.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnimal rights zealots invading farms are a real threat to biosecurity and are putting their lives and the lives of farmers, workers and indeed the animals they claim to care about at risk,” Mr Furner said.<\/p>\n

Activists who move from location to location for multiple protests will face multiple $652.75 on-the-spot fines.<\/p>\n

Five people will face trespass charges in Toowoomba Magistrates Court on May 9 following an incident at a Millmerran feedlot last month.<\/p>\n

Investigations are continuing.<\/p>\n

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