Australia’s government last week enacted new regulations removing non-profit status from radical animal rights organizations that harass, intimidate or spy on farming families. “Extreme activists targeting law-abiding Australian farmers can no longer claim tax-free status for their fundraising drives,” said Australia’s Agriculture Minister and Vice-Chairman of the National Party, David Littleproud, with satisfaction.
Loss of all tax breaks
It is good that a wider range of prohibited behavior now leads to the loss of tax breaks. These included trespassing, unauthorized entry of property, property damage or vandalism, and the threat of violence. According to the minister, the stricter rules for the withdrawal of charity status also apply to all organizations that promote or support other groups in their illegal activities against farmers.
“Activists who take the law into their own hands will now find it more difficult to finance their illegal operations,” said Littleproud. He is sure that this will meet with the approval of the farmers, who are exposed to the real danger of attack and destruction of their property. Not to mention the serious risks to biosecurity and animal welfare that these “senseless extremists” pose when farms are occupied or broken into stalls.
Protests must be lawful and respectful
The National Farmers Association (NFF) said it would accept protests if they were legitimate and respectful. NFF CEO Tony Mahar criticized, however, that some “radical anti-farm fringe groups” had decided to express their views through unauthorized entry, harassment and endangerment of farming families and their employees. “Too often, the behavior of these groups completely contradicts the high standards required of a registered non-profit organization,” Mahar noted.
Individual states have also proposed or even introduced increased penalties, including high fines and imprisonment, for such anti-agricultural activism.
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