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- 3 May 2005
Game and Feral Animal Control Amendment Bill
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Page: 15456
Second Reading
Debate resumed from 6 April 2005.
Mr ADRIAN PICCOLI (Murrumbidgee) [8.35 p.m.]: The Hon. Duncan Gay, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council and the Opposition spokesman on Agriculture, will make a strong and detailed response to the Game and Feral Animal Control Amendment Bill in the other place. However, the Opposition will not oppose it. The Nationals and the Liberal Party support the Game Council. The establishment of the council was certainly a move in the right direction and it fits in with my general philosophy on natural resource management, that is, active management. If our natural resources, native animals and feral animals are not managed properly, the problems we face now may become worse. A representative from National Parks once told me that every species of animal in Australia is altered. Our behaviour in the past 200 years has resulted in too many numbers of some species, and the extinction or near extinction of others. It is imperative that our species are managed. The Game Council is well positioned to do that, even though its powers are limited. I hope a Coalition Government will extend the powers of the council to control feral animals.
At a recent dinner I was seated beside a gentleman from the United States of America who is a member of the board of a large listed company in Australia. He loves hunting and pays extraordinary amounts of money to hunt pheasant in Spain and deer in the United States. I asked him whether he had ever hunted in Australia, to which he replied, "No. What do you hunt here?" I told him that where I come from pig hunting is the favourite pastime of a number of people. As all honourable members know, feral pigs are a significant problem in Australia. The hunting of feral animals should be promoted commercially by an organisation such as the Game Council as part of feral animal control. The gentleman from the United States to whom I spoke and who is very well off would be happy to pay a significant amount of money to participate in such a venture. Many opportunities exist to promote the commercial control of feral animals in New South Wales and, ultimately, to improve our environment by getting rid of as many of them as possible. The Opposition will not oppose the bill. We support the Game Council. We look forward to having a terrific relationship with it when the Coalition is in government in 2007.
Ms LINDA BURNEY (Canterbury) [8.39 p.m.]: It might seem strange to some members of this House that I support this bill, but this debate should not be regarded as an illustration of the division between city and country. We all know that feral animals are a huge problem in our State and throughout the country. One only has to travel a short distance west of Dubbo to appreciate the degradation caused by pigs and goats, not only to the environment but also to indigenous fauna in that part of the country. Approximately four months ago I was absolutely stunned when I was driving from Wollongong to Engadine and noticed a dead red deer on the median strip. It was then I realised that the control of feral animals is not necessarily exclusively a country matter or a city matter. People should keep that in mind. Although dogs and cats are very much a part of city living, unfortunately they become a major problem when they are released into the natural environment to fend for themselves.
Having made those introductory comments, I turn now to address some of the significant parts of the bill. This amending bill will significantly improve the Game and Feral Animal Control Act and will assist the Game Council to become self-funding and autonomous. The bill will allow the council to spend its funds in ways that it considers useful in dealing with wild game and other introduced species. I pause to make the observation that the Game Council is an organisation that probably nobody has heard of, or is aware of, but clearly it provides an important service to the people of New South Wales, particularly those who live in country regions. This bill will allow the council to become self-funding and to autonomously decide on the way it uses its funds. That is an important aspect of this legislation.
The Game Council was established in 2002 after the previous Parliament enacted the Game and Feral Animal Control Act in June of that year. I cannot underscore enough how important the Act is to New South Wales and to the nation generally in the control of feral animals. We all play our part in determining whether the environment survives. Probably the most prominent issue in the news in Australia at the moment is the prevalence of cane toads and their spread into the Northern Territory. It seems inevitable that they will continue to spread and inevitably will infest the Kimberley region in Western Australia. We all appreciate the extend of the disaster caused by the spread of cane toad infestations. They cause enormous upheaval in the normal habitats of indigenous species and enormous problems for the environment. I note that recently the Northern Territory Government held a major competition to find out the best way of dealing with cane toads.
People who live in cities do not understand the significance of the problem of feral animal control, nor do they understand the widespread nature and diversity of the spread of feral animals. My introduction to the debate about feral animals probably occurred many years ago when I was driving between Bourke and a small place called Enngonia, which is west of Bourke and very close to the Queensland-New South Wales border. The vehicle I was driving was absolutely destroyed after I ran over a feral sow and her piglets. That was traumatic for both parties, not to mention the car. In my twenties, I spent a great deal of time in western areas of this State and I witnessed the degradation and detrimental effect that pigs and goats have had on that part of the world. All honourable members know what camels are doing to the central part of Australia and the efforts that are being made to try to turn the exportation of camels to the Middle East into a commercial activity. I am sure that the irony of that situation is not missed by any member of this House.
The Game Council's functions under section 9 of the Act are to provide advice to the Minister on game and feral animal control and to liaise with the Pest Animal Council, rural lands protection boards and other relevant bodies. The council will also promote and fund research into game and feral animal control. Members of this House may regard this bill as perfunctory, but I cannot help but underscore the importance of the statement I have just made. Anyone who does not understand the enormous problems caused particularly by pigs and goats in the western and north-western areas of New South Wales should go there and take a look. We have had long debates in this House about feral dogs in areas such as the Mount Kosciuszko National Park and we have also had debates on feral horses in national parks. We need to be realistic about this bill and understand that feral animals are introduced species and that they have an incredibly detrimental effect on the natural environment as well as on the survival of many native species. In those contexts, this bill is very important.
The council also will represent the interests of licensed game hunters, administer a licensing system for game hunters, and make recommendations to the Government regarding public lands that should be available for hunting game. Subsection (2) of section 9 of the Act states that the Game Council must have regard to public safety in the exercise of its functions. Many members of this Parliament would not have had a great deal of experience in the use of firearms or hunting. Today the in question time the Premier answered about question about pit bull terriers and hunting dogs. Many of the dogs used for hunting pigs and goats are either pit bulls or pig dogs, which is a term used to describe a whole range of dogs, including pit bulls. This aspect of the legislation involves complex issues that not many people would understand.
The council comprises a cross-section of people. Section 8 states that the council is to consist of 16 persons appointed by the Minister, including eight persons nominated by hunting organisations, a person representing rural lands protection boards, a person representing veterinarians, two persons who are wildlife management scientists, one person representing the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council, and one person respectively representing the Minister administering the Forestry Act 1916 and the Crown Lands Act 1989. I am sure honourable members appreciate that the council's composition provides for a well thought out representation of views that are involved in game and feral animal control. Although the composition of the board may also be considered to be a side issue, when the environmental issues are taken into consideration, the importance of the council's composition becomes obvious, and it is even more important in the context of preserving native species.
The Game Council performs an extremely important role not only in overseeing the activities of game hunters and lands upon which hunting takes place but also in protecting native species and in ensuring that the control of feral animals in New South Wales is carefully managed. The amendments in the bill will build on the achievements to date. As I have indicated, the bill will assist the Game Council to become self-funding by allowing it to retain the proceeds of fines imposed under the Act. That is a far-reaching and well thought out provision that will allow the council to become self-sufficient and to look after its own business without seeking more funds from the Government. The bill also extends the areas in which the Game Council can spend its funds by including matters specified in the regulations. As the Minister mentioned in his second reading speech it is intended that those areas will include research and training. No-one would argue against the importance of research and training in the area of feral animal control, an area that is probably not that well understood.
Although the bill is short, it makes two important changes to the existing legislation. The changes will assist the council in its valuable and useful work. In conclusion, I reiterate that the control of feral animals is an important issue for members of the House who are interested in preserving and looking after the New South Wales environment. Making the Game Council self-sufficient allows it to expand its activities to ensure that it is targeted at the aims set out in the bill. I commend the bill to the House.
Mr PETER DRAPER (Tamworth) [8.51 p.m.]: I speak briefly on the Game and Feral Animal Control Amendment Bill. I support the bill, which will allow the Game Council to extend its funding sources to include fines imposed under the Game and Feral Animal Control Act. The bill will also allow the council to spend funds on additional areas including training and research, which it is currently unable to do. Every animal introduced into Australia by human beings, with the notable exception of the sheep, has become feral. The growing list of animals that are negatively impacting on the country includes foxes, rabbits, cats, horses, mice, camels, cattle, pigs, goats, donkeys and deer, among others. In Australia few feral animals have natural predators or fatal diseases. The calicivirus impacted significantly on the rabbit population in New South Wales, with my property near Dungowan being a rabbit-free zone for the past five years or so.
However, in the past few months I have noticed fresh scrapings near the river banks, and the occasional rabbit in the headlights when I am coming home. These descendents of the survivors of the calicivirus threaten to be very hard to get rid of, having an obvious immunity to the virus that wiped out much of the population. Feral and game animals compete for food with both commercially bred animals and our native species. As the honourable member for Canterbury pointed out, many people place responsibility for land degradation on feral animals, but I must point out that that is somewhat unfair as the introduction of commercial stock has contributed significantly to the problem as well. Every year millions of feral animals are killed, with many suffering cruel and painful deaths. One only has to look to the horse cull in the Northern Tablelands, where hundreds of wild brumbies were culled by shooters in helicopters and left to die terrible deaths, from multiple gunshot wounds in some cases, to realise that there must be a better way.
The ability of the Game Council to divert some of its funding into research will ultimately produce better results for both our farming communities, which are suffering the impacts of feral and game animals, and also for the animals. The bill has been developed in consultation with the Game Council and will assist in the longer-term goal of the council of becoming financially self-sufficient. Being able to receive moneys paid in fines will result in funds being available to develop strategies, train game managers and research the best methods of control and culling.
In this new century, alternatives to poison, traps and bullets should be investigated and developed. Disease has proven an effective control for some feral animals such as rabbits. Myxomatosis was introduced in the 1950s and decimated rabbit numbers, but in a slow painful way that resulted in many animals taking some 10 days to die. Most people who grew up in the country would have seen rabbits with pus running from their eyes and noses, blindly running into obstacles and suffering immensely before their eventual demise. Although myxomatosis killed 99 per cent of the rabbit population that came into contact with the disease in the 1950s, the remaining animals have evolved from survivors that had developed immunity. Today only about 50 per cent of animals exposed to myxomatosis will succumb to the disease.
Rabbits infected with the calicivirus take two days to die. That is much more humane than myxomatosis, but the problem with using diseases as an animal population control is that viruses become weaker over time, so research into alternatives is needed. In the long term a feral animal population will be fully controlled only if the animals are prevented from breeding. Australian scientists are genetically engineering viruses and bacteria that will render infected animals infertile. This method, known as immuno-contraception, is engineered so that only one species of animal is affected. Promising results are already apparent in the prevention of successful breeding in rabbits, foxes and mice. Additional funding for ongoing research into this exciting area will show great benefit to our State. As the amendment under discussion today will assist to deliver funds for that vital research I offer my support and commend the bill to the House.
Mr GEOFF CORRIGAN (Camden) [8.55 p.m.]: I support the Game and Feral Animal Control Amendment Bill, which brings two small but very welcome changes to the legislation that established the Game Council and regulates aspects of game hunting in this State, namely, the Game and Feral Animal Control Act 2002. Those changes ensure that the council can retain the proceeds of any fines levied under the Act, and that the council can spend its funds on matters specified in the regulations. As pointed out by earlier speakers, both changes will assist in the useful and valuable work in which the council engages. The Game and Feral Animal Control Act 2002 established a system of licensing for game hunters in this State to be administered by the Game Council. I extend my thanks to the work of the council, which, since its formation in 2002, has performed an excellent job.
Turning to the licence system that the council administers, the Act sets out a comprehensive and sensible framework for licensing people to hunt animals. Division 4 of the Act deals with that system, providing for the council to issue licences and impose conditions on licences. The division specifies a penalty for breaches of licences and licence conditions, and permits the suspension of licences for breaches. Overall, there is a comprehensive framework for licensing people to hunt game. In practical terms, I am told that the council has now issued more than 4,000 licences. I am told also that the feedback received by the council is very positive.
Hunters and landholders have expressed appreciation for the more controlled hunting practices that are being established under the Act by the council. Overall, the Game and Feral Animal Control Act has been a positive move for the hunting and control of feral animals in this State. As more than 95 per cent of the State has some species of wild introduced animal, the council has a wide area of responsibility. To date, it has successfully met its objectives and is to be congratulated. The bill will make small but important changes that will facilitate the council's work. As such, the bill should be supported by all honourable members. I commend the bill to the House.
Mr DAVID CAMPBELL (Keira—Minister for Regional Development, Minister for the Illawarra, and Minister for Small Business) [8.57 p.m.], in reply: I thank all honourable members who contributed to this debate. New South Wales has ongoing problems with feral animals. Species such as foxes and feral cats cause significant harm to our native wildlife. Other non-indigenous species, such as deer, are becoming an increasing hazard on roads in various parts of the State. From time to time all the non-indigenous species listed as game animals in the Game and Feral Animal Control Act create their own environmental problems. Therefore, it is important that such species be effectively controlled. It is equally important that they be controlled in a responsible manner.
The creation of the Game Council of New South Wales has been a significant step in utilising the skills and expertise of responsible hunters to help the community achieve those goals. In a short time span the Game Council has issued 4,000 general game hunting licences relating to hunting on private land. Those licences require compliance with strict conditions, which are prescribed in the Act and regulations, and with a related code of practice. The introduction of an obligation for licence holders to comply with such conditions is a major step towards more responsible hunting practices in the State.
It is also important for the community to see the high standards that responsible hunters have set and, through this legislation, are now demanding of their peers. Monetary penalties are prescribed for non-compliance, in addition to the suspension or cancellation of the licence. This approach will foster a responsible attitude among the hunting fraternity, including any small minority that may be tempted to act irresponsibly. The second phase of the licensing system involves arranging for appropriately trained and licensed people to hunt on certain public lands.
The Game Council is currently undertaking an assessment and consultation process in conjunction with relevant government agencies to identify appropriate areas for that. I remind honourable members that the Act excludes national parks from this process. While that would not necessarily prevent the Department of Environment and Conservation working with the Game Council on specific game or feral animal projects, I am not aware of any current proposals for that to occur. The proposed amendments to the Act, although of a relatively minor nature, will assist the Game Council in carrying out its important work in improving the standards of hunting in this State.
The proposal to allow the Game Council to receive the proceeds of fine payments under the Act will assist it to become financially self-supporting in the longer term. The proposal to allow the council to spend some of its funds on additional matters prescribed in the regulations will further assist the progress towards more effective and responsible hunting. As was noted in the second reading speech, it is intended that the regulations will include educational programs relating to hunting and research into the nature and habitat of game and feral species.
To clarify one point that has arisen, the amendments will allow the Game Council to direct the proceeds from fines towards the cost and operation of education and training schemes along with the other activities of the Game Council. It is not the intention of this amendment to create a reliance by the Game Council on proceeds from fines. I add that the proposal for the Game Council to retain the proceeds of fines recognises that there is a cost associated with programs to regulate hunters, and that the Game Council's regulatory functions will be implemented under tight budgetary conditions. Although these are relatively minor changes they represent real improvements to the Game and Feral Animal Control Act and, as such, should be supported by all honourable members. I commend the bill to the House.
Motion agreed to.
Bill read a second time and passed through remaining stages.
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