❓ A parliamentary question addressing the impact of wild dogs and feral camels on pastoral land in WA, particularly regarding the need for a barrier fence and government responsibility. The Minister deflects several questions to the Minister for Agriculture and Food.
AnsweredQoN 3461Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(a) does the Minister agree that the wild dog and camel ingression problem into pastoral Western Australia is occurring at an alarming rate and that a failure of current control methods to halt wild dog attacks on the pastoral industry will almost certainly lead to the decimation of the industry;
(i) if no to (1) why not;
(b) does the Minister agree that there is widespread industry support for a detailed feasibility study into a pastoral barrier fence like the one in South Australia over and above the cost benefit analysis already paid for by industry, ie Peggs Report;
(i) if no to (3) why not;
(c) does the Minister agree that as the owners of leasehold properties, it is the government’s sole responsibility to fund a study for a pastoral fence barrier;
(i) if no to (5) why not;
(d) how does the Minister intend to deal with a rangeland full of feral animals and weeds if pastoralists are not fostered given the Department of Environment and Conservation is already struggling to manage lands;
(e) can the Minister explain why Zone Control Authority and Biosecurity Groups’ unpaid members should continue to support their existence if they apparently have little or no credibility;
(f) is the Minister aware of the amount of damage to native flora and water holes by camels in the rangelands;
(i) if yes to (9) to what extent;
(g) does the Minister agree that control of camels in the rangelands from the Pilbara to the Goldfields to Mundrabilla would be easier to manage along a defined barrier fence than being allowed to spread throughout the rangelands;
(i) if no to (11) why not;
(h) does the Minister agree that hybrid wild dogs exhibiting more aggressive behaviour in packs are likely to further destroy small mammals in the rangelands; and
(i) if no to (13) why not?
(i) if no to (1) why not;
(b) does the Minister agree that there is widespread industry support for a detailed feasibility study into a pastoral barrier fence like the one in South Australia over and above the cost benefit analysis already paid for by industry, ie Peggs Report;
(i) if no to (3) why not;
(c) does the Minister agree that as the owners of leasehold properties, it is the government’s sole responsibility to fund a study for a pastoral fence barrier;
(i) if no to (5) why not;
(d) how does the Minister intend to deal with a rangeland full of feral animals and weeds if pastoralists are not fostered given the Department of Environment and Conservation is already struggling to manage lands;
(e) can the Minister explain why Zone Control Authority and Biosecurity Groups’ unpaid members should continue to support their existence if they apparently have little or no credibility;
(f) is the Minister aware of the amount of damage to native flora and water holes by camels in the rangelands;
(i) if yes to (9) to what extent;
(g) does the Minister agree that control of camels in the rangelands from the Pilbara to the Goldfields to Mundrabilla would be easier to manage along a defined barrier fence than being allowed to spread throughout the rangelands;
(i) if no to (11) why not;
(h) does the Minister agree that hybrid wild dogs exhibiting more aggressive behaviour in packs are likely to further destroy small mammals in the rangelands; and
(i) if no to (13) why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
1 August 2008
Responded by
Minister for the Environment
Response time
43 days
(a) No.
(i) Feral camels are widely distributed across the rangelands of Western Australia, South Australia, the Northern Territory and parts of Queensland and currently occupy a total area of about three million square kilometres. Camels have inhabited pastoral areas for decades. The current national population is variously estimated to be between 600,000 and one million and the number of feral camels is growing nationwide. The movement of camels is largely influenced by local and regional rainfall events. The Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre, with Natural Heritage Trust funding is developing a cross-jurisdictional and national approach to the management of feral camels.
With regard to wild dogs, this question should be directed to the Minister for Agriculture and Food who has lead responsibility for the
Agriculture and Related Resources Protection Act 1976
and the
Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007
.
(b) This question should be directed to the Minister for Agriculture and Food.
(i) See the answer to (b).
(c) This question should be directed to the Minister for Agriculture and Food.
(i) See the answer to (c).
(d) The Department of Environment and Conservation currently allocates for the management of feral animals and weeds on national parks, nature reserves, conservation parks and former pastoral leases it manages in the rangelands, and also the 89 million hectares of unallocated Crown land and unmanaged reserves for which it has feral animal and weed responsibilities. The effectiveness of control programs is maximised wherever possible through cooperative regional and local programs with neighbours. I am not aware of data demonstrating that the Department is not meeting its obligations in this area to a level similar, on average, to private landholders and lessees. In relation to pastoral lease areas, this question should be directed to the Minister for Agriculture and Food.
(e) This question should be directed to the Minister for Agriculture and Food.
(f) Yes.
(i) Feral camels are known to have an adverse impact on the landscape including riparian zones, seasonal wetlands and important natural and cultural rock holes and other water sources. They are also impacting on the infrastructure of pastoral leases (fencing and watering points) and some remote Aboriginal communities.
(g) Feral camels are large animals and would require specialised and expensive fencing. A barrier fence, unless constructed to these requirements, would not be effective in limiting the movements of feral camels.
(i) See the answer to (g)
(h) No.
(i) Hybrid wild dogs, like dingoes, perform ecosystem services in the rangelands. They exert a level of control on native and non-native herbivores including kangaroos, rabbits and feral goats. This has the effect of reducing competition for resources and destruction of habitat necessary for smaller native species including mammals. They are also believed to contribute to the control of introduced carnivores such as the feral cat and fox, providing further protection for native fauna.
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(i) Feral camels are widely distributed across the rangelands of Western Australia, South Australia, the Northern Territory and parts of Queensland and currently occupy a total area of about three million square kilometres. Camels have inhabited pastoral areas for decades. The current national population is variously estimated to be between 600,000 and one million and the number of feral camels is growing nationwide. The movement of camels is largely influenced by local and regional rainfall events. The Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre, with Natural Heritage Trust funding is developing a cross-jurisdictional and national approach to the management of feral camels.
With regard to wild dogs, this question should be directed to the Minister for Agriculture and Food who has lead responsibility for the
Agriculture and Related Resources Protection Act 1976
and the
Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007
.
(b) This question should be directed to the Minister for Agriculture and Food.
(i) See the answer to (b).
(c) This question should be directed to the Minister for Agriculture and Food.
(i) See the answer to (c).
(d) The Department of Environment and Conservation currently allocates for the management of feral animals and weeds on national parks, nature reserves, conservation parks and former pastoral leases it manages in the rangelands, and also the 89 million hectares of unallocated Crown land and unmanaged reserves for which it has feral animal and weed responsibilities. The effectiveness of control programs is maximised wherever possible through cooperative regional and local programs with neighbours. I am not aware of data demonstrating that the Department is not meeting its obligations in this area to a level similar, on average, to private landholders and lessees. In relation to pastoral lease areas, this question should be directed to the Minister for Agriculture and Food.
(e) This question should be directed to the Minister for Agriculture and Food.
(f) Yes.
(i) Feral camels are known to have an adverse impact on the landscape including riparian zones, seasonal wetlands and important natural and cultural rock holes and other water sources. They are also impacting on the infrastructure of pastoral leases (fencing and watering points) and some remote Aboriginal communities.
(g) Feral camels are large animals and would require specialised and expensive fencing. A barrier fence, unless constructed to these requirements, would not be effective in limiting the movements of feral camels.
(i) See the answer to (g)
(h) No.
(i) Hybrid wild dogs, like dingoes, perform ecosystem services in the rangelands. They exert a level of control on native and non-native herbivores including kangaroos, rabbits and feral goats. This has the effect of reducing competition for resources and destruction of habitat necessary for smaller native species including mammals. They are also believed to contribute to the control of introduced carnivores such as the feral cat and fox, providing further protection for native fauna.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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