UPDATE: MOUNTAIN cattlemen will fight plans to permanently ban grazing from national parks.

The cattlemen want the Victorian Government’s plan to end cattle grazing defeated in Parliament.

Mountain Cattlemen’s Association of Victoria president Charlie Lovick said he was bitterly disappointed with the Government’s latest move.

The Government today introduced laws to ban grazing in the Alpine National Park, as well as the red gum national parks.

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK: Have Your Say in the form below

Mr Lovick said cattle had “become a political football” and all reason appeared to have been lost.

“This is payback, we’re not sure what for but it seems to be driven by support from the Coalition for a scientific trial,” he said.

The cattle grazing ban was an election commitment from the government although by enshrining the ban in law, means grazing is lost from the high country forever.

The introduction of the National Parks Amendment (Prohibiting Cattle Grazing) Bill 2015 will amend the National Parks Act 1975 to prohibit cattle grazing for any purpose in these national parks.

This legislation comes a decade after the Government passed legislation to end cattle grazing in the Alpine National Park.

The Government has already closed down the cattle grazing trial in the Alpine National Park, which was introduced in 2014 by the Coalition under a three-year trial investigating the role of grazing in mitigating fire risk.

A government spokesman said extensive scientific research has shown that grazing in Victoria’s alpine areas is detrimental to the environment and doesn’t have any value in reducing bushfire risk or fuel loads in alpine areas.

The spokesman said the government would ensure a range of bushfire mitigation measures continue, including planned burns and other fuel management methods.

The River Red Gum national parks include Barmah, Gunbower, Hattah-Kulkyne, Lower Goulburn, Murray-Sunset and Warby-Ovens.

Environment Minister Lisa Neville said: “Our national parks are for people to enjoy, not cows to destroy. The science is clear, cattle doesn’t reduce bushfire risk in alpine areas, and they damage the alpine environment.

“The Government has acted so that alpine grazing will never happen again — we have closed the loophole that allowed the Coalition’s so called ‘scientific trial’.

“By introducing this legislation today, we have ensured that Victoria’s Alpine National Park and the River Red Gum national parks are free of cattle for future generations.”

Mr Lovick said the move “could have far-reaching impacts”.

“We hope, especially with the new mix in the Upper House, this move can be defeated.”