Farmer found illegally storing chemical of security concern kills neighbour dog, gets away with a warning

Rest In Peace, Dingo.

7 May 2021: A Victorian man has plead guilty to charges relating to obtaining and storing a restricted substance, 1080 poison, without a licence. Reports indicate that if authorities had not received statements from neighbours about the suspicious death of their dog, Dingo, the illegal stockpile may never have been identified. The news has reignited calls for an urgent review into the use of 1080 poison and the regulatory framework currently governing the sale and use of restricted agricultural chemicals. 

1080 poison has been used across Australia for over six decades to kill a range of unwanted animals, including predators, herbivores and even native wildlife. As a uniformly lethal compound capable of killing everything that breathes air, it has been tied to scores of non-target deaths. The ruling follows the recent deaths of 61 sheep in South Australia who located and consumed the contents of an improperly stored barrel containing 1080-laced oats.

“Despite repeated assurances that there are stringent regulations authorities enforce that govern every aspect of 1080’s use - from production to purchase and application - the ruling handed down at Mildura Magistrates’ Court reveals substantial and very disturbing flaws in the framework. These mean that it’s possible for a poison our own Federal government considers a chemical of security concern can all but disappear until authorities are alerted to a death next door. Australia is one of the last remaining countries on Earth that permits 1080 poison past its borders - let alone allows it to be kept in substantial quantities on private property. Dingo’s death is a wake-up call the government must not ignore. We’re afraid to say that it’s only a matter of time until the next life 1080 takes is human". 

According to the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs, approximately 40,000 chemicals are used for a wide range of purposes across the country. Of those 40,000 only 96 have been identified as chemicals of security concern due to their “potential to be used by terrorists” in the development of toxic weapons. 1080 poison is one of those chemicals. Though the offender, a 44 year-old Merbein man, claimed he had “unintentionally obtained” the chemical and had no intention of using it, earlier offences involving the use of insecticides without a proper licence reveal a history of violations. In court, the offender's lawyer explained that he travelled for work, had accompanied clients who carried out baiting programs and had thereby taken possession of the poison.

“It truly beggars belief that something of this sort can happen. We know how dangerous and deadly 1080 poison is. It’s an insidious substance - it’s colourless, odourless and tasteless. As little as half a teaspoon of 1080 is enough to kill an adult; considerably less would kill a kid. Until Australia catches up with the rest of the world and prohibits the use of 1080, none of us are truly safe. We won’t stop pressuring the government to outlaw its use until it’s banned in every corner of the country. Because if a man can get his hands on it simply by tagging along while others go out baiting, that’s a truly terrifying indictment and a stark warning that really should chill the blood of every citizen, politician and policymaker. If it’s that easy - and this case proves that it is - what’s the point of putting 1080 poison in the national security list? Would we accept the same if it had a name like arsenic or cyanide?”

Despite the seriousness of the offence, the court handed down a non-custodial penalty of only $4,000, significantly less than the maximum $45,000 available. Animal Liberation, a founding member of the Coalition of Australians Against 1080 Poison, has reignited calls for an urgent review into 1080 by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority in light of the continuing cases involving negligence and non-target animal deaths. Over 7000 Australians have signed the petition which will be provided to the Authority when the target is reached.