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Increasing penalties reflects seriousness of stock offences
Increasing minimum penalties for stealing and illegally branding livestock will reflect the seriousness
of these offences and hold offenders to account, according to the Member for Gregory Sean Dillon.
The Justice and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026, which was passed by the Queensland
Parliament last week, includes amendments to the Criminal Code to increase minimum financial
penalties for stock offences.
“That could be as simple as stealing the neighbour's beast. It could be as simple as stealing off your
employer by slaughtering an animal and selling that meat,” Mr Dillon said.
“That is theft. That rips at the heart of the fabric and trust in regional Queensland.
“The very thing that binds us together is the ability to not have to look over the fence at what your
neighbours might have of yours, but to help them in their time of need.
“For those who seek to profit through the stealing or killing animals for sale, this bill sends a very
clear message that whilst it may have been a joke in times gone by, the value of properties and the
scale of stock theft that is appearing means that the penalties in this bill need to increase
exponentially.
“No longer is taking four or five head of cattle from your neighbour or from your employer
considered just the cost of survival in the bush. It is blatant theft.
“Where you are found guilty of doing so you should not only suffer the indignity of the crime, but
also suffer the indignity of never working in that industry again because you are destroying the very
trust and fabric of what it is that holds regional communities together, especially those in and
around the beef industry.
“It is an important inclusion in this legislation. It is one that people in regional Queensland - those
99.9 per cent of red meat producers who are extremely honest - have been calling for. They are sick
of people who seek to profit at the expense of other people's hard work and commitment.
“Unfortunately, right now is a period of elevated risk because commodity prices are high.
“For those communities that are drought affected and have worked hard to retain their core herd, to
see elements of that stolen is heartbreaking.
“The Crisafulli Government understands small business. We understand the important role our
primary producers play in our communities. We understand that taking from them is taking from
their hip pocket, affecting their ability to employ more people and their ability to raise their families.
“We need to lift the penalty threshold, as is happening in this legislation, so that people will think
even harder than perhaps they already do about this.”
ENDS
Media Contact: Kerry-Lee Ferguson
4913 1000
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