Resistant SA grazier Brinkworth fined $273,000 for "flouting the law" by illegally clearing land on three properties

First 15 of 15 paragraphs shown One of South Australia's wealthiest graziers was fined $273,000 - the largest penalty imposed in South Australia - for illegal clearance of native vegetation, according to The Adelaide Advertiser (12/9/2003, p. 22).

Pleads guilty to charges: Tom Brinkworth was "cynical, arrogant and stubborn" and had "flouted the law", Magistrate Anthony Newman said in the Naracoorte Magistrates Court on Septmeber 11. The millionaire farmer pleaded guilty to three charges of clearing without permission.

Three separate fines: Brinkworth was fined:

• $30,000 for clearing 14ha of native vegetation at his South Flagstaff property;

• $30,000 for clearing 17ha at his Taunta Downs property; and

• for the charge of clearing more than 266ha of land at his Stoneleigh Park property, he was fined a further $800 a hectare, totalling $213,000.

Considering appeal: Brinkworth, who was not in court, refused to comment, but it was understood he was considering an appeal.

Cutting through red-tape: Brinkworth claimed previously that he had dug drains on his properties to cut through Government red-tape over the $60 million Upper SouthEast dry land salinity and flood management program to restore farmland inundated with saline water.