Mr MITCHELL - 1994-06-30
During the election campaign, I expressed support for the option of being able to shoot problem crocodiles. I am pleased that the minister has convinced the federal minister to support that proposal also. Can the minister advise the strategy that could be implemented, following the approval of CITES, to cull problem crocodiles in suburban waterways and coastal areas? Can the minister also confirm widespread southern speculation that a positive decision by CITES would pave the way for crocodile hunting safaris?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I thank the member for his question. He has vast experience as a senior wildlife officer with the Conservation Commission, and I believe that he sighted the problem crocodile in the Rapid Creek area which took considerable time to catch. As a neighbour of mine along the Arnhem Highway, he occupied an area - I will not describe it as 'crocodile infested' - that is one of the greatest crocodile habitats in the Northern Territory. He has wide experience in regard to crocodile sightings.
The federal government has seen fit to endorse the Northern Territory strategy plan and place it before CITES for ratification in November. It has been ratified also by the International Union of Conservation and the Nature Crocodile Strategy Group which has representatives from over 200 countries. At long last, it has endorsed the Northern Territory's crocodile management strategy as a world leader. The crocodile population in the Northern Territory is believed now to be in the vicinity of 60 000 crocodiles and increasing at a rate of almost 5% per annum.
Our problem is the time it takes to convince a crocodile that he should enter a steel cage and eat a chicken or a pig compared with the time it takes to remove that crocodile from Darwin Harbour by shooting it. I suggest to you, Mr Speaker, that the latter method is far less time-consuming and better for everybody.
Mr Ede: More permanent too.
Mr Bailey: The crocodiles do not appreciate it too much.
Mr COULTER: At this stage, we have had no response from the crocodiles on this issue, good or bad.
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Mr Bailey: I am sure that if we put you in a cage with a few of them, Barry, they would give you their opinion!
Mr COULTER: We remove almost 150 crocodiles from Darwin Harbour annually. Of those, many are rogue or maverick crocodiles that roam from place to place causing a great deal of trouble, and that may be linked ...
Mr Bailey: They say the same about some people who frequent nightclubs. Will you shoot them too?
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr COULTER: Instead of waiting up to 2 weeks to capture these crocodiles now, a decision will be able to be taken so that they can be removed immediately. At the moment, the CITES agreement requires that crocodiles must be either farmed or ranched. In other words, we cannot simply shoot the animal in the wild and place its skin on the world market. The change will mean that we will be able to shoot the crocodile, place it in a body bag with some ice, run it out to the abattoir and market it. It is believed that the numbers will not be very large in the first 2 or 3 years - probably 25 or 30 crocodiles a year. However, it will give us the opportunity in many Aboriginal communities, where problem crocodiles occur, to take that action to remove the crocodiles. It is believed that, in the first instance, this will be done by Conservation Commission rangers or perhaps a licensed specialist. It is privatised already in some situations - for example, crocodile captures in the harbour. People working in the field, such as Dr Grahame Webb, could perhaps be licensed in this regard also. At this stage, there are no plans to open up crocodiles to hunting safaris.
We are attempting to address the problems which exist in Darwin Harbour and around some Aboriginal communities. I believe that those problems will increase dramatically. I would never want to come into this Assembly and say 'I told you so', but I believe that we are only minutes away from a fatality at a place such as Shady Camp. The stupidity of some of the present behaviour there is virtually suicidal. There are crocodile warning signs, but people swim there regardless. People who fish from the barrage dive in to retrieve snagged lures. People hang their towels on the signs that warn against swimming and then take to the water. At the moment, 19 000 people a year are visiting Shady Camp and I believe there will be one less, perhaps even before the year's end. It is absolutely crazy. If that happens, we will not shoot the crocodiles out at Shady Camp because of the stupidity of fishermen and tourists there. People have to learn that living with crocodiles does not mean that they can simply wade across crocodile infested waters and expect to live.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I thank the member for his question. He has vast experience as a senior wildlife officer with the Conservation Commission, and I believe that he sighted the problem crocodile in the Rapid Creek area which took considerable time to catch. As a neighbour of mine along the Arnhem Highway, he occupied an area - I will not describe it as 'crocodile infested' - that is one of the greatest crocodile habitats in the Northern Territory. He has wide experience in regard to crocodile sightings.
The federal government has seen fit to endorse the Northern Territory strategy plan and place it before CITES for ratification in November. It has been ratified also by the International Union of Conservation and the Nature Crocodile Strategy Group which has representatives from over 200 countries. At long last, it has endorsed the Northern Territory's crocodile management strategy as a world leader. The crocodile population in the Northern Territory is believed now to be in the vicinity of 60 000 crocodiles and increasing at a rate of almost 5% per annum.
Our problem is the time it takes to convince a crocodile that he should enter a steel cage and eat a chicken or a pig compared with the time it takes to remove that crocodile from Darwin Harbour by shooting it. I suggest to you, Mr Speaker, that the latter method is far less time-consuming and better for everybody.
Mr Ede: More permanent too.
Mr Bailey: The crocodiles do not appreciate it too much.
Mr COULTER: At this stage, we have had no response from the crocodiles on this issue, good or bad.
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Mr Bailey: I am sure that if we put you in a cage with a few of them, Barry, they would give you their opinion!
Mr COULTER: We remove almost 150 crocodiles from Darwin Harbour annually. Of those, many are rogue or maverick crocodiles that roam from place to place causing a great deal of trouble, and that may be linked ...
Mr Bailey: They say the same about some people who frequent nightclubs. Will you shoot them too?
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr COULTER: Instead of waiting up to 2 weeks to capture these crocodiles now, a decision will be able to be taken so that they can be removed immediately. At the moment, the CITES agreement requires that crocodiles must be either farmed or ranched. In other words, we cannot simply shoot the animal in the wild and place its skin on the world market. The change will mean that we will be able to shoot the crocodile, place it in a body bag with some ice, run it out to the abattoir and market it. It is believed that the numbers will not be very large in the first 2 or 3 years - probably 25 or 30 crocodiles a year. However, it will give us the opportunity in many Aboriginal communities, where problem crocodiles occur, to take that action to remove the crocodiles. It is believed that, in the first instance, this will be done by Conservation Commission rangers or perhaps a licensed specialist. It is privatised already in some situations - for example, crocodile captures in the harbour. People working in the field, such as Dr Grahame Webb, could perhaps be licensed in this regard also. At this stage, there are no plans to open up crocodiles to hunting safaris.
We are attempting to address the problems which exist in Darwin Harbour and around some Aboriginal communities. I believe that those problems will increase dramatically. I would never want to come into this Assembly and say 'I told you so', but I believe that we are only minutes away from a fatality at a place such as Shady Camp. The stupidity of some of the present behaviour there is virtually suicidal. There are crocodile warning signs, but people swim there regardless. People who fish from the barrage dive in to retrieve snagged lures. People hang their towels on the signs that warn against swimming and then take to the water. At the moment, 19 000 people a year are visiting Shady Camp and I believe there will be one less, perhaps even before the year's end. It is absolutely crazy. If that happens, we will not shoot the crocodiles out at Shady Camp because of the stupidity of fishermen and tourists there. People have to learn that living with crocodiles does not mean that they can simply wade across crocodile infested waters and expect to live.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016