❓ Question regarding the management of feral horses at Lake Gregory, including aerial culling, community consultation, and alternative management options. The Minister provides detailed answers and tables relevant documents, demonstrating transparency and action.
AnsweredQoN 762Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
FERAL
HORSES — LAKE GREGORY
762. Hon SALLY TALBOT to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs:
I refer to the management of feral
horses at Lake Gregory.
(1) Has aerial culling of the feral
horses taken place this week?
(2) What is the extent of the aerial culling and what
activity is planned in coming weeks?
(3) What
information has been provided to local communities regarding the activities
occurring this week on the lands around Lake Gregory?
(4) Have consultations
been held by the Department of Aboriginal Affairs or the Aboriginal Lands Trust
with the following groups regarding the proposed cull or other management of
the horses —
(a) Mallingbar Aboriginal
Corporation—the Mulan community;
(b) Mindibungu Aboriginal
Corporation—the Billiluna community;
(c) Tjurabalan prescribed body
corporate; and
(d) Kimberley Land Council?
(5) When were these consultations held and what was the
outcome?
(6) Have other
management options for the control of feral horse numbers been considered or
discussed with these groups; and, if so, what are these options, when were they
considered and why have they been rejected?
(7) Has advice been sought by the
DAA from the RSPCA about aerial culling?
(8) If yes to (7), what is that advice,
and will the minister table it?
(9) If no to (8), why not?
The PRESIDENT : The Minister for Aboriginal Affairs in
response to that very long question.
HORSES — LAKE GREGORY
762. Hon SALLY TALBOT to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs:
I refer to the management of feral
horses at Lake Gregory.
(1) Has aerial culling of the feral
horses taken place this week?
(2) What is the extent of the aerial culling and what
activity is planned in coming weeks?
(3) What
information has been provided to local communities regarding the activities
occurring this week on the lands around Lake Gregory?
(4) Have consultations
been held by the Department of Aboriginal Affairs or the Aboriginal Lands Trust
with the following groups regarding the proposed cull or other management of
the horses —
(a) Mallingbar Aboriginal
Corporation—the Mulan community;
(b) Mindibungu Aboriginal
Corporation—the Billiluna community;
(c) Tjurabalan prescribed body
corporate; and
(d) Kimberley Land Council?
(5) When were these consultations held and what was the
outcome?
(6) Have other
management options for the control of feral horse numbers been considered or
discussed with these groups; and, if so, what are these options, when were they
considered and why have they been rejected?
(7) Has advice been sought by the
DAA from the RSPCA about aerial culling?
(8) If yes to (7), what is that advice,
and will the minister table it?
(9) If no to (8), why not?
The PRESIDENT : The Minister for Aboriginal Affairs in
response to that very long question.
AnswerView source ↗
Thank you, Mr President, but it is a very good question and I
thank the honourable member for the question.
(1) Yes.
(2) The
Aboriginal Lands Trust has engaged the Department of Agriculture and Food WA to
conduct a feral animal control operation on Lake Gregory. It is anticipated
that the control operation will be completed on l November 2013.
(3) A
Department of Aboriginal Affairs officer travelled to the Mulan and Billiluna
communities on 24 October 2013 to provide the communities with information
regarding the proposed control.
(4) (a)–(d) Yes.
(5) During 2010
and 2013, the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and the Aboriginal Lands Trust
visited the Mulan and Billiluna communities on numerous occasions to discuss
the control of feral horses on Lake Gregory.
The Kimberley Land Council, on behalf
of the KLC board; the Tjurabalan traditional owners, which includes the Mulan
and Billiluna communities; and the Paruku Indigenous Protected Area steering
committee wrote to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs on 21 August 2013
requesting that the WA government proceed immediately with the horse cull
around the Paruku Indigenous Protected Area, which covers the Lake Gregory and
Billiluna pastoral leases. I will table the letter from the Kimberley Land
Council.
(6) I will table the requested
information.
(7) Yes.
(8) Yes. In its
letter to the Department of Aboriginal Affairs, which I will table, the RSPCA
sets out the factors that need to be in place to ensure that aerial shooting is
humane. The RSPCA's requirements were addressed. I will table the
information.
The RSPCA has received a copy of the
control operations plan and is receiving operational updates daily. On 29
October 2013, the RSPCA issued a media statement noting ''RSPCA believes
that under strict conditions an aerial cull is the most humane method at Lake
Gregory.''
(9) Not applicable.
I now table all those documents.
The PRESIDENT : I believe the minister referred to four in
that answer.
Hon PETER COLLIER : Yes, there were four.
[See paper 940.]
thank the honourable member for the question.
(1) Yes.
(2) The
Aboriginal Lands Trust has engaged the Department of Agriculture and Food WA to
conduct a feral animal control operation on Lake Gregory. It is anticipated
that the control operation will be completed on l November 2013.
(3) A
Department of Aboriginal Affairs officer travelled to the Mulan and Billiluna
communities on 24 October 2013 to provide the communities with information
regarding the proposed control.
(4) (a)–(d) Yes.
(5) During 2010
and 2013, the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and the Aboriginal Lands Trust
visited the Mulan and Billiluna communities on numerous occasions to discuss
the control of feral horses on Lake Gregory.
The Kimberley Land Council, on behalf
of the KLC board; the Tjurabalan traditional owners, which includes the Mulan
and Billiluna communities; and the Paruku Indigenous Protected Area steering
committee wrote to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs on 21 August 2013
requesting that the WA government proceed immediately with the horse cull
around the Paruku Indigenous Protected Area, which covers the Lake Gregory and
Billiluna pastoral leases. I will table the letter from the Kimberley Land
Council.
(6) I will table the requested
information.
(7) Yes.
(8) Yes. In its
letter to the Department of Aboriginal Affairs, which I will table, the RSPCA
sets out the factors that need to be in place to ensure that aerial shooting is
humane. The RSPCA's requirements were addressed. I will table the
information.
The RSPCA has received a copy of the
control operations plan and is receiving operational updates daily. On 29
October 2013, the RSPCA issued a media statement noting ''RSPCA believes
that under strict conditions an aerial cull is the most humane method at Lake
Gregory.''
(9) Not applicable.
I now table all those documents.
The PRESIDENT : I believe the minister referred to four in
that answer.
Hon PETER COLLIER : Yes, there were four.
[See paper 940.]
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