scone.com.auCouncil Overkill at Saleyards
USERS of the Scone saleyards are critical of Council’s latest policy which they say will result in people choosing to sell their cattle at Dubbo, Singleton and Tamworth instead of Scone.
The Council are holding their first half hour induction for the Scone saleyards today and some will use it as an opportunity to get Council to act with some common sense.
The Council now require anyone who goes to the saleyards to do a computer course and attend a half hour face to face induction, including farmers who may only go to sell cattle once a year, or drivers from interstate who may be asked to pick up cattle from Scone on their way back from another job and if they are not inducted, they will not be allowed access.
Producers can no longer attend Scone saleyards unless they have undergone a full induction
Tony Richardson, owner of Richardson Brothers Transport said their induction program is unworkable and out of step with the rest of the state.
“Our drivers have all done a computer course that covers the four major livestock exchange centres in the state, we did it once and we are covered, but not for Scone,” said Mr Richardson.
“I just want bit more common sense behind this, they are expecting me to have 30 staff members there to do this induction course just for the Scone saleyard it is ridiculous,” he said.
“It can’t possibly work there are people that come from Victoria on a regular basis that send their own livestock carriers from down there to pick their cattle up and none of those drivers will have the induction, so are they denied access?
“My father is 80 and he still goes to Scone saleayards to buy a load of cattle now and then, but only every now and then and that will stop people like him going there, is that what the agents want, is that what the Council want, is that what people want?
“I’ve had people saying already that if they have to go in there for an induction just to sell their cattle they’ll go to Tamworth, Singleton or Dubbo; I don’t think the Council would want that would they?
Tony Richardson said Council had not thought about all of the ramifications of their decision.
Truck drivers have electronic keys which allow them access to a range of facilities throughout the country, however Scone Council are proposing to take access off the keys for the Scone saleyards until each specific driver has been inducted.
As Mr Richardson points out taking access off all truck drivers and only allowing access to those who have been inducted will have consequences for effluent pollution.
“If I put a new driver on and he’s got effluent coming out of his tank, which all of our 20 trucks have effluent tanks on them, they go through a heavy shower of rain at Muswellbrook and we should be able to call in at Scone to empty it and that’s what we’re supposed to do and if we are denied getting in there because that new driver hasn’t done an induction so we then proceed onto Tamworth and spread effluent out all over the road on the New England Highway for another 150ks is that what they want?
“Scone is a great facility but I think the person trying to implement all this stuff needs to be pulled into line a bit and they have a boss they must answer to so we need to get to that boss and try and sit down and explain a more workable solution to it,” he said.
“It is really disruptive to all of us businesses that make a living from this,” Tony Richardson said.
Waid Crockett general manager of Upper Hunter Shire Council
However, this morning on ABC Radio, Waid Crockett, general manager of the Upper Hunter Shire Council has defended the new policy and insisted all facilities need their own induction process, because all facilities are different.
scone.com.au has submitted questions to the Council on their new policy and asked why they are out of step with saleyards throughout the rest of the state.
Mr Richardson said he supports moves that will improve safety and prevent accidents, but does not believe that will be achieved through Council’s unrealistic induction program.
“Sure there was a person who got injured up there, but that would have happened if he was inducted or not,” said Mr Richardson.
“There are accidents, we want to prevent them, but this interruption to all businesses involved is not going to solve any problems,” he said.
“A short course on a computer sure and there are plenty of signs up at sale yards, abattoirs and public places to say where you can walk and where you can’t and how fast you can go, but what Council are doing here is overkill,” Tony Richardson said.
Many current Councillors also manage or own properties where they work with livestock and heavy vehicles and scone.com.au have submitted questions about whether they apply the same induction policies in their own business as they have endorsed for the saleyards.
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