Battery farm plan raises global stink

By Sarah Schwager
AN APPLICATION for an egg farm in Tooradin will go to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).
In a unanimous decision at Tuesday night’s planning meeting, councillors rejected a recommendation by planning officers that the council support the application when it goes before VCAT on 21 January.
Between 40 and 50 Tooradin residents cheered in the council chambers as they watched on.
Mayor Colin Butler said an environmental impact study on which officers had based their decision was flawed as the consultant had been hired by the applicant.
“I am astounded that council officers suggested approval for this when it was originally refused. The study only deals with smell. Yet residents on the edge of Tooradin are subject to twice the allowed limit of excess smell,” Cr Butler said.
“They argue that most of the smell is going to be overnight so it is not going to affect people. How did they deduce that? In my experience from living next to a poultry farm there is not much difference between night and day.”
He said now the fight would be on at VCAT.
“A lot of people objecting have been living in Tooradin for nearly a lifetime. They will fight this all the way.”
Tooradin’s Janet Abelthorpe said the residents of Tooradin were thrilled with the council’s decision.
“We realise the property is on a green wedge zone but it would be such bad planning to put such an enormous egg farm right at the gateway to Tooradin,” Mrs Abelthorpe said.
“Although the applicant ensures us odours won’t be offensive they would blow right over us to Tooradin. We will certainly be having our say at VCAT.”
The proposed battery hen farm has received objection from as far away as the USA with Animal Liberation Victoria (ALV) also joining the fight.
ALV president Patty Mark said 360 of their supporters had put in formal objections to the council, citing humanitarian grounds and environmental concerns as well as concerns for the welfare of the animals.
“We are going to do everything we can to stop this,” Ms Mark said. “When I saw where it is located (on the South Gippsland Highway) I was nearly in tears.”
She said she and her kids had been stopping in Tooradin on their way to holiday destinations for years.
“So many Victorians know Tooradin for that. Now they’re going to have to hold their noses and drive on through.”
Ms Mark said ALV had an environmental lawyer representing it and that it was prepared to fight at VCAT if it was allowed to stand at the hearing.
“We have been really, really inspired by the level of public outrage about this. We also want to make people aware of the impact farming has on the environment.”
She said forest clearing, methane gas, massive water use, and the crops needed to feed hens all impacted on global warming.
“Do we really need another egg farm?” she said.