Mr THOMAS GEORGE (Lismore) [6.17 p.m.]: I bring to the attention of the House the frustration of constituents of Lismore and other people who had to live with bats. My colleague the member for Clarence has just spoken about bats at the Maclean High School. Every community has a colony of bats, and it creates a major problem.

Mr David Harris: They are out here.

Mr THOMAS GEORGE: Indeed, they are at the back of Parliament House. The bats seem to attract more support than human beings attract, when they invade private areas. Bats have moved in at the back of a retirement village in Murwillumbah. Residents of the retirement village are being forced to lock themselves in their homes. They cannot go out the back because of problems associated with the bats. They cannot open their windows. They are made prisoners in their own homes. This has been an ongoing problem that I have brought to the attention of the House before. I have been conversing and corresponding with Mrs Eunice Higgins, who has been the spokesperson for the residents in that area. Mrs Higgins wrote to me again recently and I will read her letter onto the record.

I quote:

Dear Thomas,

It is sometimes since I last wrote, nothing has changed, just got worse. Since all the baby bats have left the mothers we now have a few more thousand bats in the area. They had all left the western end in the subdivision, but have moved back again now. The noise and stench has never left us at our back fence. The Rangers that walk or drive past and say there are less cannot see up in the trees just behind us.

Last week Council workmen cleared along the reserve just behind us and a few adjoining houses. The noise from their machines really stirred them up and the workmen could not believe the amount that were in flight. I believe Maclean is back in the news with their problem around the school. The bats are also back in Uki after a short exit.

With a new Minister for Environment, do not know if he is any more sympathetic.


With the outbreaks of Hendra Virus in horse studs, will it take an outbreak in a high profile stud or maybe a famous racehorse to be infected before anything is done.

I am enclosing a copy of a letter that was placed in a friend's letter box while they were away on holidays. They had covered their Paw Paw tree as it was loaded with beautiful fruit and did not want it destroyed in their absence. They were most annoyed to find this letter on return. No wonder we can't get anywhere when these do-gooders are walking the streets peering over fences and harassing people.

I know we can do no more and just have to live with the situation, we are just beaten by laws of the country and they are just becoming more ridiculous as each day passes.

I will read the other letter onto Hansard:

PLEASE DO NOT PUT NETTING OVER FRUIT TREES. IT CATCHES AND KILLS OR SEVERELY DAMAGES FRUIT BATS AND KILLS THE BABIES THEY CARRY UNDER THEIR WINGS. THE RSPCA CAN TAKE THE TREE OWNER TO COURT IF THIS PERSISTS. THEY ARE PROTECTED BY NAT. PARKS AND WILDLIFE.

The people who got the letter are retired, and have given their life to the community. They went away on holidays. They put a net over a nice little fruit tree to protect it—with the cost of living today they are trying to be self-sufficient. When they returned they found the letter in their mailbox. They have had enough. I also received an email from Mary Remedios, entitled "They're Back", and I quote:

The Bat Problem, I think that as a land owner next to the bat colony that some concession should be made on both sides. I would very much like to know what your management strategy plans are for the area out the front of my place.

Mary has also had enough, but she suggested concessions. Maybe they should not have to pay rates for putting up with this. People are crying out for help, and not just in Murwillumbah. We heard what the member for Clarence had to say. I am sure all members in this Chamber have had a problem with bats. Quite frankly I have had enough!