Bert Van Manen (Forde, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Forde electorate is home to a great many state and private schools which contribute greatly to our community. As the federal member, I am concerned with the welfare of students, teachers and premises. Recently there have been acts of vandalism carried out on some of our schools, the worst of which was an attack on animals at one of our state schools. I was shocked to hear of the recent brutal attack on the poultry compound and horticulture department at Loganlea High School. Loganlea State High School is renowned for its innovative specialist programs, including EMC2 Mathematics for Engineers; targeted literacy and numeracy enhancement programs affiliated with Griffith University; Dance Performance; Sport Development Access; and Knowledge House, an Indigenous education support program. And, as the only metropolitan Gateway School of Agribusiness, its students have preferred enrolment opportunities with the University of Queensland Gatton campus.

In the early hours of Monday, 7 February the perpetrators entered the compound and ransacked the area, torturing and murdering some of the animals within. These animals had been lovingly cared for by the students. This was a disturbing and violent act that left a number of tame farm animals wounded, missing and deceased. The violent acts were carried out on approximately 15 tame farm animals housed there. The offenders beat and tortured the animals with a steel rake and metal pole. There were 14 animals missing as a result of the attack. I was very saddened to hear of the students being exposed to such cruelty. In an area of the electorate which is one of the less fortunate it was even more disturbing. Chicken and duck eggs were destroyed, a female turkey was decapitated and the school dog ‘Snowy’ and two pigs, one of which was heavily pregnant, were brutally bashed. Although the school did a wonderful job getting it reopened a week later, many of the community programs that were run from the farm will be not begin again until the animals have recovered. The area is also actively used by those from outside of school—child care centres, nursing homes, the local hospital and some of the special schools.

I commend the school and the principal, Belinda Leavers, for continuing to function as best they can. I would also like to thank PETA for lending a hand to educate local schools on the correct treatment of animals and for distributing emergency humane education materials. The work that PETA does in the community is invaluable, as it teaches young people the importance of treating all living creatures with respect and care. It is integral that we as a community band together to show that this is not an acceptable act and educate our young people as early as possible.

This was a disgusting act of cruelty which one cannot even comprehend, and my sympathies and support go out to Principal Belinda Leavers and the Loganlea State High School community. I have strongly urged anyone with information on the attack to contact Crime Stoppers. This act has greatly impacted the local community, with many residents outraged at the attack. The local newspapers are currently rife with community members writing in to voice their disgust. These events bring to the fore the caring and supportive community that I represent, and that is indeed an honour. They have banded together to help the school through this difficult time.

It is my hope that those responsible for the attack will be found to prevent them from escalating their acts of violence. I would like to help in any way possible and, as I noted earlier, I urge anyone with information to come forth to the local police or Crime Stoppers.