'Ambushed' on public road

Crime scene: Police block off the road at Talga Lane on the Newell Highway at Croppa Creek last week. Photo: Cady Anderson, Moree Champion

Wheat farmer Ian Turnbull ambushed Glen Turner on a public road and opened fire while the environment compliance officer was inspecting an unrelated site, police will allege.

Mr Turner was not on the Turnbull family's properties and was not serving a notice for illegal land clearing when he was allegedly shot several times, throwing serious doubt on claims by Mr Turnbull's family that the 79-year-old farmer had been pushed to the edge by repeated harassment.

Detective Inspector Gavin Rattenbury said police will allege Mr Turner and a colleague from the Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) were carrying out unrelated duties on the side of Talga Lane, near Moree, last Tuesday evening when Mr Turnbull allegedly pulled up beside them, armed himself with a rifle and opened fire.

Ambushed: Glen Turner. Photo: Supplied

A bullet in the back killed Mr Turner but it is understood that more than one shot hit the 51-year-old father-of-two. Mr Turnbull then drove home, where he was arrested four hours later.

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After several reports last week that the OEH workers had arrived, unannounced, on Mr Turnbull's Croppa Creek property to serve a notice for illegal vegetation clearing, his family painted a picture of an elderly man constantly targetedby an aggressive government about clearing his land.

The incident generated widespread debate on native vegetation legislation, and came after years of mounting tension between farmers, environmentalists and governments about landowners' rights to clear vegetation for cropping.

Moree Plains Shire Council mayor Katrina Humphries said violence was "always going to happen". Federal Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce said: You have this crazy situation where you dont own the vegetation on your land, the state government does, and many people have had enough."

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'Ambushed' on public road