Greens' bill abolishes Game Council and ends hunting state forests, national parks

The Game and Feral Animal Control Repeal Bill 2010 is now available.  

"Feral animals are a significant environmental problem in Australia but the Game Council, set up as a favour by the Labor Party to the Shooters Party to shore up their vote, is a bankrupt vehicle for managing invasive species," Ms Rhiannon said.

"The more than $11 million in public funding and millions in loans spent propping up the Game Council since 2002 would be better spent developing an evidenced based, strategic plan using professionals to tackle invasive species.

"The Game Council was set up to be self funding, yet the Auditor General has noted its ongoing financial difficulties, with the government being forced to prop it up with loans and additional recurrent funding to manage ongoing debt problems.

"Former Premier Bob Carr's establishment of the Game Council in 2002 was an act of unashamed capitulation to the gun and hunting lobbies, legitimising recreational animal cruelty while risking an increase in feral animal populations.

"The Greens Bill also prohibits recreational hunting in state forests, national parks and Crown Land.

"As part of the deal making between Labor and the Shooters Party, NSW's state forests have been lately opened up to recreational shooters, risking public safety.

"There is still currently a Shooters Party private members bill before parliament which if passed would broaden where recreational shooters can hunt to include national parks.

"The NSW government has agreed to various demands by the Shooters Party for changes to gun ownership laws in recent years and there is no guarantee that shooting in national parks will not be next on the list.

"In the interests of the environment and good government NSW Labor should support the Greens' bill to abolish the Game Council and ensure the professional and scientific management of invasive species in NSW," Ms Rhiannon said.

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