Open for hunting, but where are the signs? - 31 August 2006

Inadequate signage in State Forests recently declared open for hunting has been exposed by the Labor Government, said Ian Cohen, NSW Greens Upper House MP.

“Yesterday in Parliament Ian Macdonald, the Minister for Primary Industries, said that Forests NSW ‘is erecting signs at vehicle entry points to 142 declared State forests’.

“These forests were declared open for hunting from March this year.

“Now the minister admits that not all the signs were erected before hunters began shooting feral animals.

“The minister also told Parliament that the signs ‘are not intended to discourage people from visiting the forest’, despite more than 2,000 licences being issued to hunters to hunt in these forests.

“Earlier this month a family dog was shot dead in Doubleduke State Forest, in north-eastern NSW. What confidence can the people of NSW have that their local State Forest is safe, when all the signs are yet to be erected?

“This so-called conservation hunting is bad policy, which will fail to control feral animals. What the policy will do is put the safety of those who use forests for recreation at risk,” he said.


Further Information: Claire O’Rourke 0409 810 139 or 9230 3305