Alpine Grazing – Minister joins row
Alpine Grazing – Minister joins row
26 February 2011
published by www.theage.com.au
Australia — Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke has increased pressure on the Baillieu government to stop cattle grazing in the Alpine National Park after inspecting damage in the wilderness area yesterday.
“A few weeks ago I was involved in arguments with the Japanese government over so-called scientific whaling,” Mr Burke said.
“Now I’m here with what the Victorian government is wanting to describe as so-called scientific grazing.”
He called on the state government to give full details of the experiment – 400 cattle were introduced to see if grazing cuts bushfire risk – to his department to establish if it is legal.
Mr Baillieu said: “Our mission is to reduce the fuel load in bushfire-prone areas and strategic grazing has been used before.”