Community
13 September, 2024
Truck wash closures sparks concerns
THE closure of truck wash services at Warrnambool and Camperdown has sparked concerns among local farmers.
According to Member for Western Victoria Beverley McArthur, farmers have raised biosecurity concerns over the inadequacy of the rural and regional truck wash network.
“An important Agriculture Victoria study into the facilities has become rapidly outdated, with potentially serious consequences,” Ms McArthur said.
The truck wash and effluent disposal review, published by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) was funded by levies raised from farmers on the sale of cattle, sheep, goats and pigs and their carcasses in Victoria.
Although published only a year ago, a number of closures have led to questions about its adequacy.
In state parliament earlier this month, Ms McArthur updated the Minister for Agriculture of locals’ concerns following the review.
“In essence since the completion of the review, truck wash facilities in both Warrnambool and Camperdown have closed, leaving a substantial gap in coverage,” she said.
“The previous network worked because, although the number of sites was relatively low, their placement gave good geographical coverage, like the knots in a net.
“The closure of the Warrnambool and Camperdown truck washes leaves a gaping hole in that net. The Warrnambool saleyard facility was particularly crucial.”
The review categorised the Warrnambool facility ‘in highest use’ at more than 40 hours per week.
Taken together with the closure of the Camperdown saleyard site, this now means that the report’s conclusion is no longer accurate.
While it may have been true in September 2023 that “the review found strong evidence of a functional regional and rural truck wash network serving the needs of the livestock industry across Victoria” Ms McArthur said this was no longer the case.
“Lacking this infrastructure could have substantial biosecurity consequences as well as costing enormous amounts of time and money by necessitating long journeys to alternative facilities,” she said.
“Farmers in the southwest, the heart of dairy country and close to recent avia flu outbreak sites, are deeply concerned by this situation.”
Ms McArthur said that given the importance of this infrastructure, and substantial biosecurity levies already raised from the industries involved, she called on the Minister for a new and rapid review of the network.
“We also need a commitment to build adequate new facilities where substantial gaps are found,” she said.
