Million-dollar bailout not justified - time to shutdown NSW Game Council

Greens MP Lee Rhiannon said today that the NSW Game Council should be wound up as there was no justification for the NSW government putting millions of dollars into the body that Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald promised would be self funding. (SMH, 27 April 2009, page 5)

"The Game Council is an unacceptable drain on the public purse that should be shut down," Ms Rhiannon said.

"Information provided to the Greens from questions put to Minister Macdonald and from the NSW Auditor General's last audit of the council's finances raises significant concerns about the ability of the Game Council to ensure its ongoing financial viability.

"The Council has spent more than $1 million over the last five years in advertising for more hunters to join up.  

"Meanwhile increasing levels of public money are propping up the Council's activities. Funding went from $1.25 million in 2002/2003 to a peak of $3.52 million in 2007/2008.

"The Treasurer approved $5 million dollars in NSW Tcorp loans between 2004/2005 and 2006/2007, $2 million of which the government stepped in to pay off last year.

"This multi-million bail out contradicts a government pledge in 2005 that the Game Council will be self-funding.  

"In an age of shrinking public funds voters deserve a clear explanation of why an organisation like the Game Council, set up to be self-funding, is being regularly bailed out by the government.

"The government regularly relies on the votes of the two Shooters Party MPs to pass conservative legislation through the NSW Upper House, while at the same time financing the Game Council, a favourite project of the Shooters Party.

"Minister Macdonald has refused to publicly release the Council's 2008-2012 Business Plan arguing that it is 'commercial in confidence'. In the Minister's world that's the way to avoid facing questions about another embarrassing policy failure.

"The Council*s activities have drawn criticism over the years on the grounds of promoting a failed model of feral animal control and public safety issues,' Ms Rhiannon said.

For more information:  Lee Rhiannon 9230 3551, 0427 861 568

2007/2008 Game Council Annual Report

Greens campaign to shut down NSW Game Council