Graziers defy laws, gain Opposition support

The Victorian Opposition has reiterated its promise to allow cattle grazing in the Alpine National Park, if it wins the next election.

A small group of mountain cattlemen have defied a ban on alpine grazing by driving a mob of cattle into the high country.

The cattlemen entered the national park early this morning to protest against the cancellation of their grazing licences.

The State Government banned alpine grazing last year to protect the environment.

The president of the Cattlemen's Association, Doug Treasure, says the cattle drive will be held annually unless the grazing ban is overturned.

"We're pretty steamed up about this whole job, we listened to John Thwaites yesterday saying that they're spending buckets of money and blaming it on the cattlemen, this is all about politics, this is all about the next election, it's not about good management of the high country," he said.

The Liberal Party's Country Victoria spokesman, Philip Davis, says the cattle drive is a symbolic protest against bad law.

"It is quite clear that the Liberal Party, the Opposition have committed to returning cattle to the alpine park following the next election and I think that if the cattlemen want that to happen, they can make their point," he said.