Farmers have a fundamental right to farm their own land

The petition of the undersigned residents of Tasmania draws to the attention of the House: 

Farmers have a fundamental right to farm their own land. 

Hardworking Tasmanian farmers should not face excessive punishment for undertaking normal farming and land management practices. 

Recent court action resulting in a fine exceeding $100,000 against a family-owned farm for unauthorised land clearing has become a catalyst for farmers to say, 'enough is enough'. 

Your petitioners acknowledge the importance of environmental protection and responsible land stewardship. Yet many in the agricultural community believe the current vegetation clearing and enforcement system has become heavy handed, confusing, inconsistent, and completely disconnected from the realities of farming in Tasmania. 

Tasmanian farmers are already under increasing pressure from rising costs, biosecurity risks, labour shortages, drought pressures, and growing compliance burdens. Excessive penalties and aggressive enforcement are destroying confidence across regional communities and making farmers feel like they are under attack simply for trying to maintain productive farmland. 

Your petitioners therefore call upon the House to: 

• Conduct an urgent independent review into Tasmania's vegetation clearing and land management enforcement framework;

• Ensure penalties are fair and proportionate, particularly where activities relate to ordinary farming practices and land management;

• End the culture of treating hardworking farmers like environmental criminals;

• Acknowledge farmers' fundamental right to farm;

• Ensure future laws and enforcement properly balance environmental protection with food production, regional jobs, private property rights, and the future of Tasmanian farming communities.