‘Conservation hunting’ like ‘guns for peace’ - 22 June 2009

“In Parliament this week Ian Macdonald is continuing his role as environmental marauder. Not content with bringing police in to disperse protesters opposing illegal logging and creating special legislation to allow the Repco car Rally to pass through one of the most biodiverse areas of Australia, he is also supporting the Shooters’ Party’s Game and Feral Animal Control Bill, which will see exotic species introduced for hunting, allow native animals to be hunted for recreation, and open National Parks up for hunting”, says Ian Cohen, Greens MLC.

“Mr Macdonald would like to paint the Game and Feral Animal Control Bill as a solution to feral animals and the bill gives ludicrous concessions to hunters under the guise of feral animal control.”

“The Invasive Species Council has collated figures that show the economic inefficiency of the Game Council. Between 2006 and 2008, hunters licensed by the Game Council killed 13,109 feral animals. Over those same two years, the NSW Government provided the Game Council with approximately $3.7 million dollars and spent approximately $4.2 million on administration costs. According to the ISC figures, the cost to kill each feral animal at the hands of Game Council hunters is $323 dollars. At between10-20 times more per feral animal killed than aerial shooting activities undertaken by various government agencies, that’s one expensive bunny! “

“I recognise that feral animals are a problem in NSW National Parks, but if they are to be culled then it should be managed by trained Livestock Health and Protection Authority officers. Recreational hunters are not helping when it comes to feral species - the reality is that hunters, with their dogs, are often a cause of pest species dispersal, driving feral animals into National Parks, not to mention hunting dogs going feral.”

“Hunters are describing themselves as conservationists, but this bill shows the reality – they want to hunt anything they can, and that includes native wildlife. The Shooters Party bill proposes 26 native species - including black swans, topknot pigeons and ducks - as suitable for hunting down on public land, including some national parks. It’s not exactly waving the conservationist flag.”

“There are already plenty of places for hunters to shoot. There are 460 State forests and two Crown Land areas declared for conservation hunting in NSW - why is Mr Macdonald supporting them to get more public land? It’s part of a backroom deal to get other legislation through the upper house.”

“The bill also seeks the establishment of private game reserves to be set up for the introduction of yet more exotic species for hunting on these reserves – it is a feral animal problem waiting to happen.”

“Australians do not feel comfortable with the American style hunting culture that this bill seeks to introduce. Culling feral animals as a necessity to preserve native biodiversity is one thing. Introducing animals just to kill them is a step too far and killing native animals in national parks is a giant leap that we cannot tolerate.”