Mrs AAGAARD - 2004-02-18
With our love of the outdoors and our high proportion of remote communities and pastoral stations, the management of crocodiles across the Top End is an important issue for Territorians. What benefits would the government’s proposal to allow limited safari hunting of crocodiles bring to remote communities, pastoralists and the Northern Territory economy?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this is an important question because it underscores the Territory having the right to manage its wildlife properly. The Territory – and all credit to the Parks and Wildlife Service over many years, and researchers such as Professor Grahame Webb – provides a model for wildlife management throughout Australia, if not the world, particularly in relation to crocodiles.
Most members and people listening would be aware that prior to the ban on unrestricted hunting in the early 1970s, crocodiles were a threatened and endangered species but, with management, they have bounced back. Some of the data that I have seen suggests that numbers in some parts of the Territory at least are to a stage where they may equal levels before they were pushed to extinction in the early 1970s.
To satisfy the provisions of the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act1999 and the Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act, the Territory must have in place a plan for the management of saltwater crocodiles. In November last year, the Draft Management Plan for Saltwater Crocodiles in the Northern Territory was released for public comment and, once formally approved by the Commonwealth, will replace the current plan.
The new plan outlines the management and conservation of saltwater crocodiles, and it is a bit of a juggling act. Here we have a wild animal that has instincts of hunting and preying on things - quite a savage beast. We want to conserve them and recognise their economic value, but we also have to recognise the threat to human safety that they pose.
In a significant departure from the existing plan, what the Territory proposed to be included in the plan that we have submitted to the Commonwealth is a permit for 25 adult crocodiles to be harvested each year through commercial hunting activities. In no way were we asking for an increase on the 600 that is allocated within the current plan for crocodiles to be harvested, we are asking for that 25 to be within the existing quota.
The period for public comment has now closed. A large number of submissions were received. I believe that they were generally supportive, although there are a number of animal rights and humane groups that oppose the commercial harvesting of crocodiles. Whilst I respect their position, the management plan clearly sets out how this would be done humanely in the same pattern that is used now. The only difference would be that it would be a hunter who is paying money to do it. So there is no appreciable difference in the method or the regulations governing it.
We believe that, if the Commonwealth were to allow us to do this, it would provide a significant economic boost, particularly for remote Aboriginal communities, coastal communities and also to some pastoralists. I believe it is an important step for the Territory, and there are benefits that we believe could keep the Territory moving ahead. That is what we want to see, is the Territory moving ahead. The Commonwealth is still taking a period of consultation. The Minister for the Environment, Dr Kemp, unfortunately, I believe, has already put out a draft, which is on the Internet, a draft declaration of an Improved Wildlife Trade Management Plan, Commonwealth of Australia in relation to the Northern Territory. One dot point that he has set out in his draft is that recreational hunting of crocodiles for profit or safari hunting is not permitted. I believe that is very negative and I have said so in the public arena.
Dr Kemp should reconsider that and I hope members opposite might lobby him, because I have received a lot of e-mails from all over Australia and the world supporting this particular way with crocodiles. The federal government should be listening because , we are all aware that every year there are 150 crocodiles pulled out of Darwin Harbour. If there were 150 crocodiles being pulled out of Sydney Harbour or Lake Burley Griffin, the Commonwealth government would be taking a lot more interest in crocodiles. They tend to think it is up there, let us not worry about it. I urge Territorians to get behind this and make their views known to the federal government so that the Territory does have the right to harvest these 25 crocodiles. I believe it is a very worthwhile plan.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this is an important question because it underscores the Territory having the right to manage its wildlife properly. The Territory – and all credit to the Parks and Wildlife Service over many years, and researchers such as Professor Grahame Webb – provides a model for wildlife management throughout Australia, if not the world, particularly in relation to crocodiles.
Most members and people listening would be aware that prior to the ban on unrestricted hunting in the early 1970s, crocodiles were a threatened and endangered species but, with management, they have bounced back. Some of the data that I have seen suggests that numbers in some parts of the Territory at least are to a stage where they may equal levels before they were pushed to extinction in the early 1970s.
To satisfy the provisions of the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act1999 and the Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act, the Territory must have in place a plan for the management of saltwater crocodiles. In November last year, the Draft Management Plan for Saltwater Crocodiles in the Northern Territory was released for public comment and, once formally approved by the Commonwealth, will replace the current plan.
The new plan outlines the management and conservation of saltwater crocodiles, and it is a bit of a juggling act. Here we have a wild animal that has instincts of hunting and preying on things - quite a savage beast. We want to conserve them and recognise their economic value, but we also have to recognise the threat to human safety that they pose.
In a significant departure from the existing plan, what the Territory proposed to be included in the plan that we have submitted to the Commonwealth is a permit for 25 adult crocodiles to be harvested each year through commercial hunting activities. In no way were we asking for an increase on the 600 that is allocated within the current plan for crocodiles to be harvested, we are asking for that 25 to be within the existing quota.
The period for public comment has now closed. A large number of submissions were received. I believe that they were generally supportive, although there are a number of animal rights and humane groups that oppose the commercial harvesting of crocodiles. Whilst I respect their position, the management plan clearly sets out how this would be done humanely in the same pattern that is used now. The only difference would be that it would be a hunter who is paying money to do it. So there is no appreciable difference in the method or the regulations governing it.
We believe that, if the Commonwealth were to allow us to do this, it would provide a significant economic boost, particularly for remote Aboriginal communities, coastal communities and also to some pastoralists. I believe it is an important step for the Territory, and there are benefits that we believe could keep the Territory moving ahead. That is what we want to see, is the Territory moving ahead. The Commonwealth is still taking a period of consultation. The Minister for the Environment, Dr Kemp, unfortunately, I believe, has already put out a draft, which is on the Internet, a draft declaration of an Improved Wildlife Trade Management Plan, Commonwealth of Australia in relation to the Northern Territory. One dot point that he has set out in his draft is that recreational hunting of crocodiles for profit or safari hunting is not permitted. I believe that is very negative and I have said so in the public arena.
Dr Kemp should reconsider that and I hope members opposite might lobby him, because I have received a lot of e-mails from all over Australia and the world supporting this particular way with crocodiles. The federal government should be listening because , we are all aware that every year there are 150 crocodiles pulled out of Darwin Harbour. If there were 150 crocodiles being pulled out of Sydney Harbour or Lake Burley Griffin, the Commonwealth government would be taking a lot more interest in crocodiles. They tend to think it is up there, let us not worry about it. I urge Territorians to get behind this and make their views known to the federal government so that the Territory does have the right to harvest these 25 crocodiles. I believe it is a very worthwhile plan.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016