Elaine Barclay University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia

1. Elaine Barclay University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia

2. Northern Territory Queensland West Australia South Australia New South Wales Victoria

3. Agriculture: 371 million ha 48% total land use Agriculture in Australia

5. A couple of facts about Australian Agriculture • Gross value: AUD$56 billion (2016-2017) = 3.6% of GDP • Provides 93% of domestic food supply • 2/3rds of production is exported =valued at $46.5 billion pa. (14% of total export revenue) • 85,681 agricultural operations (90% family owned and operated). • Average farm size: 4,331 hectares • employs approx 314,000 people

6. The Top Ten Challenges for Rural Crime Prevention

7. #1 It’s a Serious and Urgent problem! • The cost of rural crime in Australia estimated to be $72 million a year (R 747,684,778). • Rural crime can have a devastating effect on farmers, rural businesses and communities, and the nation. • Crime poses a dangerous risk for: • Domestic and international trade. • Biosecurity • Food security • Organised crime infiltrating agricultural industries • Current concern: cyber security

8. #2 Its Diverse! Rural crime includes: • Theft: of livestock, seed or grain, wool, eggs, vegetables, fruit, nuts, fish and oysters. • Theft: of agricultural machinery, tools, equipment, fuel, chemicals or fertilizers, fencing materials. • Other offences: vandalism, fraud, arson, biosecurity offences, meat substitution, animal cruelty, trespass/illegal hunting, or the production of cannabis or meth on farmland. • Environmental crimes: the illegal dumping of waste on farms, wildlife trafficking, illegal fishing, the theft of water or of timber from farms.

9. Its Diverse! #2 74% had experienced some type of crime since 2002

10. #2 Its Diverse! • Livestock theft: Police describe livestock theft as the most significant rural crime. High financial losses and loss of breeding herds and bloodlines. • 27% reported theft (19% in 2002). • Livestock are stolen for food • Some thefts are for economic survival: stock stolen for breeding purposes. Often between neighbouring farms. • Some are well planned, highly skilled, organised crimes. • Has a significant impact on victims; financially, psychologically and socially.

11. #2 Its Diverse! Trespassers and Illegal Hunters • 59% reported problems: rate has doubled since 2002. • A current ‘wild pig hunting craze’ has seen an upsurge of offenders with high-powered rifles, GPS systems, and off-road vehicles travelling from cities to remote rural areas to hunt illegally.

12. Its Diverse! #2 One famer explained: Gates left open allows cattle to wander or mixed up with neighbouring herds, requiring re-mustering. Soil erosion and wheel ruts causing me to fall from my motorbike. Stressed livestock are difficult to handle. Damaged fencing from stock and wildlife fleeing hunters. Risk of fire from campsites and vehicles. Litter, bullet shells, beer bottles. Damage to trees and windmills from target shooters. Introduction of weeds from contaminated vehicles. Fear of injury from stray bullets when working our land. Wasted time, stress and fear for personal safety when confronting trespassers and asking them to leave.

13. #3 There are competing rights to land use • Farmers’ property rights have been eroded by competing claims: Indigenous land rights, environmental laws, water rights and mining exploration.

14. #4 Its under-reported Reasons for not reporting a crime (N=1251)

15. Its under-reported! #4 Farmers may be unaware of missing stock until mustering, which may only occur once a year on large outback properties.

16. #5 Its difficult to police • Specialised Police Stock Squads: in some Australian states. • Primary function is the investigation of stock related crime. • Equipped for remote area travel with laptops, cameras, camping equipment, horses, trail bikes, 4WD vehicles and stock trucks. Qld Stock and Rural Crime Investigation Squad

17. #5 Its difficult to police • National Livestock Identification Scheme • All animals bought, sold and moved are tagged with an NLIS-accredited tag or device. • Each movement is recorded centrally on the NLIS Database • Identification enbles proof of ownership of animals and a means of 'trace-back' to the property of origin when disease and chemical residues are detected. • Abattoirs record details of • all stock slaughtered. • NLIS assists police in tracing • stolen stock

18. #5 Its difficult to police • Community policing is key. • 92% of farmers would prefer to report directly to their local police. • Farmers acknowledge that its not just a police problem

19. #6 Its difficult to prosecute • Difficult to prove • Magistrates lack knowledge of rural crime • Penalties are generally too light • Discourages farmers from reporting crimes • DNA testing is the way forward

20. Its difficult to prevent #7 • How do you lock up a farm? • Survey highlight: No real improvement in security practices on farms • Farmers maintain boundary fences and have someone present on farm at all times. • Neighbours watch out for each other. • Not much else…. • Most crime prevention practices by farmers are reactions to criminal events rather than proactive crime prevention.

21. Its difficult to prevent #7 • Many farmers are installing security cameras around central work areas and on boundaries to monitor access to properties and record proof of crimes.

22. #8 Informal social control Community crime prevention Participation in neighbourhood watch/ rural watch is low: • 89% had no involvement in such activities. • distance between properties renders Rural Watch ineffectual • Gossip was used for social control No two communities are the same

23. #9 The way things are done • Small cohesive communities have strong social norms. • Farmers are responsible for the safety and security of their property and livestock. • Stock stray but farmers should advise their neighbours if they find some of their animals amongst their own. • Farmers who are victims of crime often perceived to be poor managers and therefore deserved to lose stock • Those who chose to deviate from these norms were sometimes ostracised within the community.

24. #10 Nobody knows about it! • Rural crime is not recorded in official crime statistics • Criminologists can conduct the research, interpret the data, and recommend ways to address rural crime. • If governments commission research, they are more likely to read reports……...but need to sell the story. • Need solid evidence: need data on the nature, extent and economic cost of rural crime

25. So preventing rural crime is not easy, but there are some good stories to tell

26. Working with Aboriginal communities • The imprisonment rate for Aboriginal people is 12 times higher than the non-Indigenous rate. • This is because Aboriginal Australians experience significant levels of disadvantage across a range of social, economic, and health indicators. • Traditional lands have • been returned: • approx 30% • 1972 Prime Minister Whitlam • returning land to the Gurindji people

28. Desert farm growing watermelons Central Australia • Alekarenge communityElders invited a successful watermelon grower to establish a farm on their land to provide income for the community and employment. • None of the 500 people in the community work full time.

29. Bidyadanga community Far north Western Australia • Gubinge (Kakadu Plum) has a high vitamin C content • Fruit from the plantation's 350 trees is hand-harvested by the community, snap frozen within 24 hours, trucked to Victoria for pulping or turned into a powder for use in foods, skin care or pharmaceuticals, for export overseas.

30. Conclusion • The impact and costs of rural crime are significant – but not enough people know about it! • The social context of crime is complex; thus prevention is also complex. • There are some good stories to tell, especially around community development, new technology. • The role of government is important, not only for what it can do, but for what it should avoid doing. • Criminologists are great at conducting research, interpreting data, and providing solid evidence to lobby for resources. • Governments and their policy-makers should listen

31. Questions? Elaine Barclay, University of New England ebarclay@une.edu.au