‘The community doesn’t want it’: MP says massive sheep farm shouldn’t go ahead

Animal Justice Party MP Andy Meddick says a proposed dairy farm should not go ahead because the public health risk it poses the community as well as ethical concerns.

The farm would contain 14,000 sheep close to the township of Inverleigh, on the outskirts of Geelong.

“These are sheep that will be used in a factory-farm situation, they will live their lives inside sheds, they don’t get to interact in the normal way and exhibit behaviours of typical flock animals,” he told Tony Jones, filling in for Neil Mitchell on 3AW Mornings.

“We’ve got a small farming community surrounding this particular property… They are absolutely terrified that something will happen, get out of containment and affect them,” he said.

The MP says it will be left to the council to determine the farm’s fate.

“Factory farming is perfectly legal in Australia, there’s no laws against it.

“It’s up to an individual council to determine whether the planning application is something they want to have as part of their community.”

A council meeting on February 23 will determine the farm’s fate.

Click PLAY to hear the interview below