Latest news with #JackGough
Daily Mail
29-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Controversial proposal to pay hunters cash to kill feral animals in Australia
A controversial proposal to pay hunters $20 for each feral animal they kill in regional New South Wales has ignited a political firestorm. NSW Premier Chris Minns on Tuesday floated the idea as a potential solution to the state's $13million feral animal problem. Invasive species such as pigs, cats, dogs, and rabbits cost farmers millions in damage each year and pose a serious threat to native wildlife and ecosystems. But the 'barbaric' plan has been criticised, with NSW Upper House MP and Animal Justice Party member Emma Hurst condemning it as a waste of taxpayers' money. 'Bounties encourage mass cruelty to animals,' Hurst told Daily Mail Australia. 'A similar Victorian scheme has received extreme criticism for this. We can't copy the same ruthless and cruel program into NSW.' She said mass animal killing programs, including poison and aerial shootings, have been proven to be 'both cruel and ineffective'. Invasive Species Council CEO Jack Gough has also criticised the proposal, accusing the Premier and the Labor Party of cutting a political deal with the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party in exchange for its support. '[It] has nothing to do with good feral animal management,' Gough said. 'Bounty hunters might be heroes on the big screen, but in the real world of feral animal control, they're just a waste of taxpayers' money.' Hurst echoed his concerns, arguing that there are more humane alternatives. 'If the Premier and the Shooters Party were genuine about wanting to reduce the number of introduced animals, they would be relying on science and running immunocontraceptive programs,' she said. 'You don't need to be an expert to see that arming the general public with guns and sending them off on a yahoo killing spree is not the answer, and, in fact, creates a risk for everyone in the community.' Shooters Party MP Robert Borsak has previously called for bounties to be offered, citing the failings of Local Land Services (LLS) regarding pest management. In 2024, LLS spent over $13.2million on pest control and removed just 112,000 animals, most of which were feral pigs. Mr Borsak said recreational hunters are both more efficient and more cost-effective. 'Recreational conservation hunters shot 1.69million pigs in the 2024 calendar year and contributed over $100million to the NSW economy, primarily benefiting rural and regional communities,' he told Parliament in March. He has proposed a $20 bounty for pigs, foxes, and feral cats in New South Wales, arguing the initiative would assist farmers and volunteer hunters while addressing the widespread damage caused by invasive species. According to Mr Borsak, a $2million program could result in the removal of 100,000 animals, a fraction of the cost of existing LLS programs. He said it would also reduce financial pressure on farmers and encouraging greater community involvement. NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin has backed the proposal and criticised its opponents, saying animal pests were costing $489million in damages each year. 'Online commentators who suggest we don't need additional efforts in this area are seriously out of touch with the realities of the landscape,' he said. 'That's a staggering amount of money, and that's why we welcome the Premier's approach to look at every option to slash the number of feral animals.'
West Australian
21-05-2025
- Politics
- West Australian
NSW brumby population plummets to 1500 in ‘turning point' for famed Snowy Mountains
The number of feral horses roaming NSW's Kosciuszko National Park could be as low as just 1500 as wildlife activists herald the success of controversial aerial culling. An October 2024 report found that between 1500 and 6000 brumbies likely remained in the park, down from a whopping 13,000 to 22,000 reported the previous year. The survey puts the state government well ahead of its legally mandated goal of reducing the population to 3000 by June 30, 2027. Invasive Species Council chief executive Jack Gough said the report was a 'turning point' and 'nature is responding' to the dramatic reduction in feral horses. 'Fewer hard-hoofed feral animals trampling the fragile alpine environment means more native species returning,' Mr Gough said. 'More delicate wetlands recovering and more hope for one of Australia's most vulnerable national parks. 'Now we need all sides of politics to come together to keep up this momentum for a wildlife revival by overturning the law which requires 3000 feral horses to remain trashing and trampling one third of the iconic Kosciuszko National Park.' Introduced by former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro, the so-called Brumby Bill – known properly as the Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Act – recognised the 'heritage value' of wild horse populations within parts of the park and mandated numbers be reduced to just 3000. The Invasive Species Council, at the time, said the Bill 'turned Australia into a global laughing stock', and it was heavily criticised by academics and environmental activists groups who have long decried the harmful impacts of the invasive horses on the delicate alpine ecosystem. Independent Wagga Wagga MP Joe McGirr introduced a petition to repeal the Bill, which was signed by more than 11,000 people, to parliament earlier this month, with no MPs from Labor, Liberals or the Greens speaking against the petition, including Monaro MP Steve Wahn. 'Barilaro's brumby law has no friends in parliament, other than a few fringe voices in the upper house, and the next step must be for parliament to repeal this bad law once and for all,' Dr Gough said, having previously called on NSW Premier Chris Minns to repeal the Brumby Bill. The state government survey also comes after new photos were released by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service of recovery in the Kosciuszko National Park. Reclaim Kosci founder and Invasive Species Council Indigenous ambassador Richard Swain said feral horses 'trample our fragile landscapes, pollute our streams, and damage sacred Country'. 'Finally, the health of the soil, water and our native species in the Snowy Mountains is healing, but we need to fix the ridiculous law that still protects a feral animal over our native plants and animals,' she said. 'It's a national park, not a horse paddock. 'For the sake of the high country, it is past time that we put to bed the senseless arguments and accept the evidence that removing feral horses is the only way of protecting Country from this destruction.' ANU Fenner School of Environment and Society professor Jamie Pittock said the new images 'should be the catalyst – let's stop debating numbers and get on with the job of protecting the park'. 'Kosciuszko is home to threatened species like the northern corroboree frog, broad-toothed rat and critically endangered alpine she-oak skink – all of which suffer when feral horses degrade their habitat,' he said. 'Every delay puts this more at risk.' The state government survey used two independent scientific methods – both showing a significant drop off in numbers compared with previous years, albeit it with some variation between estimates. The Australian Brumby Alliance, which has have been vocally opposed to aerial culling of feral horses, are yet to respond to the report, which was released on Wednesday, but has been critical of population control. The organisation is supporting a parallel petition by NSW Animal Justice Party MP Emma Hurst that is calling on the state government to implement 'nonlethal solutions', namely rescue and rehoming of wild horses. An attempt to stop aerial culling of wild horses was dismissed by the NSW Supreme Court last year.
News.com.au
21-05-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
NSW brumby population plummets to 1500 in ‘turning point' for famed Snowy Mountains
The number of feral horses roaming NSW's Kosciuszko National Park could be as low as just 1500 as wildlife activists herald the success of controversial aerial culling. An October 2024 report found that between 1500 and 6000 brumbies likely remained in the park, down from a whopping 13,000 to 22,000 reported the previous year. The survey puts the state government well ahead of its legally mandated goal of reducing the population to 3000 by June 30, 2027. Invasive Species Council chief executive Jack Gough said the report was a 'turning point' and 'nature is responding' to the dramatic reduction in feral horses. 'Fewer hard-hoofed feral animals trampling the fragile alpine environment means more native species returning,' Mr Gough said. 'More delicate wetlands recovering and more hope for one of Australia's most vulnerable national parks. 'Now we need all sides of politics to come together to keep up this momentum for a wildlife revival by overturning the law which requires 3000 feral horses to remain trashing and trampling one third of the iconic Kosciuszko National Park.' Introduced by former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro, the so-called Brumby Bill – known properly as the Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Act – recognised the 'heritage value' of wild horse populations within parts of the park and mandated numbers be reduced to just 3000. The Invasive Species Council, at the time, said the Bill 'turned Australia into a global laughing stock', and it was heavily criticised by academics and environmental activists groups who have long decried the harmful impacts of the invasive horses on the delicate alpine ecosystem. Independent Wagga Wagga MP Joe McGirr introduced a petition to repeal the Bill, which was signed by more than 11,000 people, to parliament earlier this month, with no MPs from Labor, Liberals or the Greens speaking against the petition, including Monaro MP Steve Wahn. 'Barilaro's brumby law has no friends in parliament, other than a few fringe voices in the upper house, and the next step must be for parliament to repeal this bad law once and for all,' Dr Gough said, having previously called on NSW Premier Chris Minns to repeal the Brumby Bill. The state government survey also comes after new photos were released by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service of recovery in the Kosciuszko National Park. Reclaim Kosci founder and Invasive Species Council Indigenous ambassador Richard Swain said feral horses 'trample our fragile landscapes, pollute our streams, and damage sacred Country'. 'Finally, the health of the soil, water and our native species in the Snowy Mountains is healing, but we need to fix the ridiculous law that still protects a feral animal over our native plants and animals,' she said. 'It's a national park, not a horse paddock. 'For the sake of the high country, it is past time that we put to bed the senseless arguments and accept the evidence that removing feral horses is the only way of protecting Country from this destruction.' ANU Fenner School of Environment and Society professor Jamie Pittock said the new images 'should be the catalyst – let's stop debating numbers and get on with the job of protecting the park'. 'Kosciuszko is home to threatened species like the northern corroboree frog, broad-toothed rat and critically endangered alpine she-oak skink – all of which suffer when feral horses degrade their habitat,' he said. 'Every delay puts this more at risk.' The state government survey used two independent scientific methods – both showing a significant drop off in numbers compared with previous years, albeit it with some variation between estimates. The Australian Brumby Alliance, which has have been vocally opposed to aerial culling of feral horses, are yet to respond to the report, which was released on Wednesday, but has been critical of population control. The organisation is supporting a parallel petition by NSW Animal Justice Party MP Emma Hurst that is calling on the state government to implement 'nonlethal solutions', namely rescue and rehoming of wild horses. An attempt to stop aerial culling of wild horses was dismissed by the NSW Supreme Court last year.
The Advertiser
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Kosciuszko mending after brumby cull slashes population
A famed alpine national park appears to be on the mend, as authorities make tidy progress controlling its brumby population. Surveys across the Kosciuszko National Park estimate the brumby population has been slashed from more than 12,000 to between 1579 and 5639 in just a year. It puts the NSW government on track to hit a mandated target of 3000 feral horses over nearly one-third of the park by mid-2027. Images from the park show reduced bare ground and increased vegetation coverage along with less soil damage and trampling of stream banks. Aerial brumby shooting resumed in NSW under the state Labor government in November 2023, with around 6000 believed to have been clipped since to progress towards the population targets. The progress has been welcomed by the Invasive Species Council, who said the trend down showed genuine momentum towards protecting the park. "We're finally seeing a turning point … fewer hard-hooved feral animals trampling the fragile alpine environment means more native species returning, more delicate wetlands recovering and more hope for one of Australia's most vulnerable national parks," CEO Jack Gough said. "'Kosciuszko is home to threatened species like the northern corroboree frog, broad-toothed rat and critically endangered alpine she-oak skink – all of which suffer when feral horses degrade their habitat. Every delay puts this more at risk." The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service trialled three different survey methods in their population count, including standard distance and mark-recapture distance sampling across 39 per cent of the park. Those two methods produced estimates of between 1579 and 4007 horses, and between 2131 and 5639 horses, each with a 95 per cent confidence rating. The NPWS is not expected to shoot any more brumbies in the area and it will maintain the 3000-horse population from mid-2027. NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe told a budget estimates hearing earlier in March "to actually have them (brumbies) shot from helicopters is not needed anymore". Last week, parliament debated repealing the Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Act 2018, which protects the "heritage value" of the brumby population and shaped the current population targets. Mr Gough pointed out no MPs had spoken against the proposal. "The ridiculous (former Deputy Premier John) Barilaro law was never based on science - it was a political stunt that protects a population of destructive feral horses," he said. "We now need Premier (Chris) Minns to step up and finish the job - by removing a law that protects a feral animal over native species in a national park." Water quality, threatened species and sensitive areas will all be monitored to track the park's continued recovery. A famed alpine national park appears to be on the mend, as authorities make tidy progress controlling its brumby population. Surveys across the Kosciuszko National Park estimate the brumby population has been slashed from more than 12,000 to between 1579 and 5639 in just a year. It puts the NSW government on track to hit a mandated target of 3000 feral horses over nearly one-third of the park by mid-2027. Images from the park show reduced bare ground and increased vegetation coverage along with less soil damage and trampling of stream banks. Aerial brumby shooting resumed in NSW under the state Labor government in November 2023, with around 6000 believed to have been clipped since to progress towards the population targets. The progress has been welcomed by the Invasive Species Council, who said the trend down showed genuine momentum towards protecting the park. "We're finally seeing a turning point … fewer hard-hooved feral animals trampling the fragile alpine environment means more native species returning, more delicate wetlands recovering and more hope for one of Australia's most vulnerable national parks," CEO Jack Gough said. "'Kosciuszko is home to threatened species like the northern corroboree frog, broad-toothed rat and critically endangered alpine she-oak skink – all of which suffer when feral horses degrade their habitat. Every delay puts this more at risk." The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service trialled three different survey methods in their population count, including standard distance and mark-recapture distance sampling across 39 per cent of the park. Those two methods produced estimates of between 1579 and 4007 horses, and between 2131 and 5639 horses, each with a 95 per cent confidence rating. The NPWS is not expected to shoot any more brumbies in the area and it will maintain the 3000-horse population from mid-2027. NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe told a budget estimates hearing earlier in March "to actually have them (brumbies) shot from helicopters is not needed anymore". Last week, parliament debated repealing the Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Act 2018, which protects the "heritage value" of the brumby population and shaped the current population targets. Mr Gough pointed out no MPs had spoken against the proposal. "The ridiculous (former Deputy Premier John) Barilaro law was never based on science - it was a political stunt that protects a population of destructive feral horses," he said. "We now need Premier (Chris) Minns to step up and finish the job - by removing a law that protects a feral animal over native species in a national park." Water quality, threatened species and sensitive areas will all be monitored to track the park's continued recovery. A famed alpine national park appears to be on the mend, as authorities make tidy progress controlling its brumby population. Surveys across the Kosciuszko National Park estimate the brumby population has been slashed from more than 12,000 to between 1579 and 5639 in just a year. It puts the NSW government on track to hit a mandated target of 3000 feral horses over nearly one-third of the park by mid-2027. Images from the park show reduced bare ground and increased vegetation coverage along with less soil damage and trampling of stream banks. Aerial brumby shooting resumed in NSW under the state Labor government in November 2023, with around 6000 believed to have been clipped since to progress towards the population targets. The progress has been welcomed by the Invasive Species Council, who said the trend down showed genuine momentum towards protecting the park. "We're finally seeing a turning point … fewer hard-hooved feral animals trampling the fragile alpine environment means more native species returning, more delicate wetlands recovering and more hope for one of Australia's most vulnerable national parks," CEO Jack Gough said. "'Kosciuszko is home to threatened species like the northern corroboree frog, broad-toothed rat and critically endangered alpine she-oak skink – all of which suffer when feral horses degrade their habitat. Every delay puts this more at risk." The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service trialled three different survey methods in their population count, including standard distance and mark-recapture distance sampling across 39 per cent of the park. Those two methods produced estimates of between 1579 and 4007 horses, and between 2131 and 5639 horses, each with a 95 per cent confidence rating. The NPWS is not expected to shoot any more brumbies in the area and it will maintain the 3000-horse population from mid-2027. NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe told a budget estimates hearing earlier in March "to actually have them (brumbies) shot from helicopters is not needed anymore". Last week, parliament debated repealing the Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Act 2018, which protects the "heritage value" of the brumby population and shaped the current population targets. Mr Gough pointed out no MPs had spoken against the proposal. "The ridiculous (former Deputy Premier John) Barilaro law was never based on science - it was a political stunt that protects a population of destructive feral horses," he said. "We now need Premier (Chris) Minns to step up and finish the job - by removing a law that protects a feral animal over native species in a national park." Water quality, threatened species and sensitive areas will all be monitored to track the park's continued recovery. A famed alpine national park appears to be on the mend, as authorities make tidy progress controlling its brumby population. Surveys across the Kosciuszko National Park estimate the brumby population has been slashed from more than 12,000 to between 1579 and 5639 in just a year. It puts the NSW government on track to hit a mandated target of 3000 feral horses over nearly one-third of the park by mid-2027. Images from the park show reduced bare ground and increased vegetation coverage along with less soil damage and trampling of stream banks. Aerial brumby shooting resumed in NSW under the state Labor government in November 2023, with around 6000 believed to have been clipped since to progress towards the population targets. The progress has been welcomed by the Invasive Species Council, who said the trend down showed genuine momentum towards protecting the park. "We're finally seeing a turning point … fewer hard-hooved feral animals trampling the fragile alpine environment means more native species returning, more delicate wetlands recovering and more hope for one of Australia's most vulnerable national parks," CEO Jack Gough said. "'Kosciuszko is home to threatened species like the northern corroboree frog, broad-toothed rat and critically endangered alpine she-oak skink – all of which suffer when feral horses degrade their habitat. Every delay puts this more at risk." The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service trialled three different survey methods in their population count, including standard distance and mark-recapture distance sampling across 39 per cent of the park. Those two methods produced estimates of between 1579 and 4007 horses, and between 2131 and 5639 horses, each with a 95 per cent confidence rating. The NPWS is not expected to shoot any more brumbies in the area and it will maintain the 3000-horse population from mid-2027. NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe told a budget estimates hearing earlier in March "to actually have them (brumbies) shot from helicopters is not needed anymore". Last week, parliament debated repealing the Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Act 2018, which protects the "heritage value" of the brumby population and shaped the current population targets. Mr Gough pointed out no MPs had spoken against the proposal. "The ridiculous (former Deputy Premier John) Barilaro law was never based on science - it was a political stunt that protects a population of destructive feral horses," he said. "We now need Premier (Chris) Minns to step up and finish the job - by removing a law that protects a feral animal over native species in a national park." Water quality, threatened species and sensitive areas will all be monitored to track the park's continued recovery.
West Australian
20-05-2025
- Politics
- West Australian
Kosciuszko mending after brumby cull slashes population
A famed alpine national park appears to be on the mend, as authorities make tidy progress controlling its brumby population. Surveys across the Kosciuszko National Park estimate the brumby population has been slashed from more than 12,000 to between 1579 and 5639 in just a year. It puts the NSW government on track to hit a mandated target of 3000 feral horses over nearly one-third of the park by mid-2027. Images from the park show reduced bare ground and increased vegetation coverage along with less soil damage and trampling of stream banks. Aerial brumby shooting resumed in NSW under the state Labor government in November 2023, with around 6000 believed to have been clipped since to progress towards the population targets. The progress has been welcomed by the Invasive Species Council, who said the trend down showed genuine momentum towards protecting the park. "We're finally seeing a turning point … fewer hard-hooved feral animals trampling the fragile alpine environment means more native species returning, more delicate wetlands recovering and more hope for one of Australia's most vulnerable national parks," CEO Jack Gough said. "'Kosciuszko is home to threatened species like the northern corroboree frog, broad-toothed rat and critically endangered alpine she-oak skink – all of which suffer when feral horses degrade their habitat. Every delay puts this more at risk." The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service trialled three different survey methods in their population count, including standard distance and mark-recapture distance sampling across 39 per cent of the park. Those two methods produced estimates of between 1579 and 4007 horses, and between 2131 and 5639 horses, each with a 95 per cent confidence rating. The NPWS is not expected to shoot any more brumbies in the area and it will maintain the 3000-horse population from mid-2027. NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe told a budget estimates hearing earlier in March "to actually have them (brumbies) shot from helicopters is not needed anymore". Last week, parliament debated repealing the Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Act 2018, which protects the "heritage value" of the brumby population and shaped the current population targets. Mr Gough pointed out no MPs had spoken against the proposal. "The ridiculous (former Deputy Premier John) Barilaro law was never based on science - it was a political stunt that protects a population of destructive feral horses," he said. "We now need Premier (Chris) Minns to step up and finish the job - by removing a law that protects a feral animal over native species in a national park." Water quality, threatened species and sensitive areas will all be monitored to track the park's continued recovery.
