NSW farm trespassers will face the toughest penalties in the country - including up to three years' jail - under a bill to be introduced in state parliament.
Agriculture Minister Adam Marshall will on Tuesday introduce the Right to Farm bill, which also includes a new offence of inciting or causing a trespass and aggravating factors for trespassing as a group, damaging property and wilfully or negligently releasing livestock.
Punishments for farm trespass will be increased from fines of up to $5500 to three years' jail time and up to $22,000 in fines.
Anti-cruelty activists took goats from a Gippsland property. Source: Facebook/Gippy's Goat Cafe
Offenders could also face extra biosecurity fines introduced by the state government in July.
"The community has had a gutful of farm invasions and have said existing penalties of up to $5500 in fines are just a slap on the wrist," Mr Marshall said in a statement.
Animal welfare activists go topless to make a "ditch dairy" stand to raise awareness of what they claim is cruelty within the dairy industry. Source: AAP
"We've listened to that and will now establish the toughest possible penalties in the nation for farm invasions."
The proposed laws will also recognise a farmer's inherent right to farm and provide protections for those facing costly legal action, he said.
