Extension of Commercial Kangaroo Zone in NSW

In June 2009 a new commercial killing zone officially opened in the Central West of NSW, but again not without a fight. There is no doubt that thousands of letters were received by the NSW DECC opposing this new zone, but there was little consultation with the public or consideration of tourism and cruelty issues. The Australian Society for Kangaroos contacted every local council and every indigenous council in the region and found that not only did most oppose it, but none had in fact been consulted about it. Indigenous councils were given the Decimation of an Icon report and advised about the new zone and what it meant. They were horrified to learn what was going to happen to the kangaroos.

A public meeting in Bathurst was also a turning point, as seven wildlife carers from the region attended and heard first hand of the fate of their beloved kangaroos. When Nicole Payne, Manager Kangaroo Management NSW DECC was asked as to the fate of at foot joeys in the event of the mother being killed, she and shooters present made it very clear that, “Shooters don’t have time to chase after joeys. They only have a short time to get in and out and kill as many kangaroos as possible. They don’t have time to chase joeys in the night.”

These were her clear words witnessed by seven carers. This is in clear breach of the Code of Practice that makes it clear that ‘Joeys must be killed to avoid suffering from a lingering death from starvation, dehydration, exposure and predation following the death of their mother.”

The DECC clearly has no moral responsibility to address this issue when the mother is killed despite clear recommendations by the RSPCA that lactating females should not be shot to avoid these cruel deaths.

This was reported on ABC Dubbo radio and The Western Advocate, Bathurst and local radio.

The Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail (UK) also did great stories on the event and featured our joeys on the front page in June 2009.

Local radio and newspapers also reported on a media release by our organisation outlining the rights of the community to refuse shooters onto their property, and to protect their resident wildlife. The press release and the reporting gave clear advice that the DECC had failed to give, that to allow professional shooters onto your property, a resident must give written permission in the form of a Occupiers Commercial License. This must then be approved by the DECC. The shooter must also have a commercial harvesters license. Only one shooter can shoot on any one property for the whole year.

See articles in MEDIA REPORTS section.

It has been repeatedly reported on by the Australian Society for Kangaroos that wildlife tourism is now at risk in this new zone, and that the industry will decimate kangaroo populations. With 1,000 kangaroos allowed to be killed on any one property in a four month period, this puts local populations at great risk of extinction.

Also reported on was the analysis by Professor Steve Garlick of the Population surveys in the region. Despite the government reporting an estimated 1,000,000 kangaroos in the new zone, with a quota of 150,000 annually, Professor Garlick has found a sample error of 30% with the estimates, meaning that numbers could in fact be as low as 200,000, so that with a quota of 150,000 for the region, there is a great risk of regional extinctions.

You can continue to lodge your opposition to the new zone and the commercial industry in general by writing to local and metropolitan papers in the new zone including:

Mudgee (Mudgee Guardian), Bathurst (The Western Advocate, Western Times), Dubbo (Daily Liberal), Maitland (Lower Hunter Star), Muswellbrook (Hunter Valley News), Newcastle (The Herald), Orange (Midstate Observer), Parkes (Parkes Champion Post), Scone (Scone Advocate), Singleton (Singleton Argus), Young (Young Witness).

YOU CAN WRITE OR CALL:

Prime Minister Julia Gillard
PO Box 6022 House of Representatives, Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600
PH: 02 6277 7700
Email link: www.pm.gov.au/contact-your-pm

Federal Minister for the Environment, the Hon Tony Burke MP
PH: 02 6277 7840
Email: Tony.Burke.MP@aph.gov.au

NSW Minister Environment & Climate Change,
The Hon Robyn Parker MP
PH: (02) 9995 5000
Email: info@environment.nsw.gov.au

NSW Greens
PH: 02 9519 0877

Sydney Morning Herald
letters@smh.com.au