Outrage after Aussie farmer cops $398 fine for helping drought-stricken neighbour

Yahoo

7 hours ago

Aussies are fuming after a farmer recently copped a $398 fine for moving two bales of hay across a road to a help out his drought-stricken neighbour. Graham Thomson, a hay contractor based in Condah, in Victoria's extremely dry southwest, was lugging the sheep feed on his tractor forks when a National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) officer's flashing lights brought him to a halt.
The long-time local said he had checked there were no other vehicles in sight before he travelled the 600 metres down the road, and across the Henty Highway. However, Mr Thomson said the officer informed him he wasn't allowed to haul anything on the front-end loader on a public road, and issued him the hefty fine for 'not restraining' the hay.
'I'm meant to have a load binder over them. I've been farming for about 50 years and I didn't know that,' he told Sheep Central, adding the officer said he would need to place the hay on a truck to transport it on the road.
'I didn't say anything, but one minute he says I can't carry anything on the road and then he books me for carrying something on it that's not restrained. So that didn't make sense to me.'
The incident — which reportedly occurred the same day a mental health event for farmers was held at the Condah Hotel — has infuriated others, with another local farmer Andy Satchell slamming the decision online. A video uploaded to his Facebook shows the unsecured load in question.
'To say Thommo was upset would be an understatement,' he wrote. 'Surely farmers have a right to keep their livestock fed.'
The clip has since gone viral, with thousands of Aussie sharing their frustration over the 'ridiculous' fine.
'Every farmer is breaking the law as soon as they put a round roll or a square bale on those forks to go across a road,' Mr Thomson told Sheep Central. 'The fine was worth more than the value of the hay.'
A GoFundMe page set up on Mr Thomson's behalf is raising money to help him fight the fine in court.
'Thommo is choosing to contest the fine in court because he believes that, after 60+ years in the industry, helping a neighbour feed their livestock shouldn't be penalised,' the fundraiser reads.
Another aim of the fight is to make sure the voices of famers are heard, the page says. Mr Thomson has requested all excess funds be donated to the National Centre for Farmer Health.
'Due to farmers experiencing environmental factors, such as drought and floods, I'd like any excess funds to go to farmer mental health, as we need to keep the food chain going,' Mr Thomson said.
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A NHVR spokesperson told Yahoo News safety on Australian roads is a "top priority" and it's their job to prevent road accidents.
'On 8 June, SCOs intercepted a tractor carrying two double stacked large hay bales on the Henty Highway in Condah, with one of the bales not restrained. The SCOs applied both an engagement and enforcement method, by providing education to the driver on his registration conditions in regard to carrying a load on the highway, and the driver was also issued a minor load restraint infringement for the unrestrained bale,' the spokesperson said.
'Though the NHVR is committed to its 'inform and educate' approach, road safety is always the highest priority and enforcement action may be taken when necessary to help ensure all road users, including both the heavy vehicle driver and other motorists, make it to their destination safely.'
According to the state's Heavy Vehicle National Law schedule of penalties, Mr Thomson was hit with the minimum fine for breaching mass, dimension or loading requirements. The maximum penalty is an eye-watering $13,310.
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