Legislation aimed at deterring illegal forms of trespass while protecting the welfare of animals through increased inspection powers was introduced to state parliament earlier this year.
But Liberal leader Liza Harvey is arguing for Labor to split its Animal Welfare and Trespass Legislation Amendment Bill in two - one part dealing with animal rights, the other with farmers' rights.
"Labor have increased the trespass penalties but they've also added on to it animal welfare legislation that failed in the Legislative Council a couple of years ago," Ms Harvey said.
"They will give additional trespass protections against extreme vegan activists but the only way they are going to do that is if farmers allow them to broaden right of entry into farms under the guise of animal welfare issues.
"You really need to deal with the trespass issues separate to animal welfare and the animal welfare issue needs to be considered more broadly."
The legislation has been prepared in response to incidents last year in which individuals trespassed on agricultural land for the purpose of drawing public attention to animal husbandry practices they oppose.
Given there have been several incidents in the Peel region, Liberal Murray-Wellington candidate Michelle Boylan said the farms in the area were an easy target.
"We are pivotal to agriculture as we've got so many of our farmers in this area," she said.
"It's an easy target for them [activists] as they can drive from the City cause the damage to our industry and go back home in time for dinner.
"There has to be ways to be able to get their views across without interfering with people working in agriculture."
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At present, the Animal Welfare Act does not allow for monitoring or compliance of animal welfare, and only permits inspectors to enter a food production place either by consent or where the inspector reasonably suspects that an offence has been, is being, or is likely to be committed.
Under these amendments, designated inspectors will have a general right of inspection at intensive food production facilities.
The Bill will also increase the applicable criminal penalties and improves the availability of misconduct restraining orders in specific circumstances.
The proposed maximum penalty for the new offence of aggravated trespass is two years' imprisonment and a fine of $24,000. This is double the usual maximum penalty for trespass.
"The McGowan government is committed to introducing legislation that not only protects primary industry...but also enhances inspection powers in order to ensure community confidence in the welfare of animals in abattoirs, knackeries and other relevant facilities," Agriculture minister Alannah MacTiernan said.
But Shadow Minister for Agriculture Steve Thomas said the current animal welfare inspection laws were sufficient.
"There are always some rogue elements but if you suspect there is a rogue element that needs to be addressed then someone can go onto that farm and inspect," he said.
"If you don't have suspicion it's going on then you should have to go to a magistrate and suggest why you should walk on there."
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Ms Harvey added that farmers wouldn't mistreat their animals as it would be detrimental to their livelihoods.
"There's an economic outcome that needs to be achieved and if you mistreat your animals you're not going to be able to sell your product for the price you need," she said.
"It's ridiculous to think farmers are going to mistreat the animals because if they do that they lose their income."
