NATS SUPPORT FULL PROGRAM OF AERIAL BAITING

Monday, September 24, 2007

The Nationals Spokesman for Natural Resources Peter Hall said the State Government should move to a full program of aerial baiting for wild dogs after details of an embarrassing mistake with the level of poison used in the first trial.

Mr Hall said that trials conducted in New South Wales had already found that aerial baiting was a legitimate technique for controlling wild dogs and it was unlikely to have an impact on the quoll population.

The Victorian Department of Primary Industries (DPI) this week confirmed that an error during preparation resulted in baits used in a Victorian trial failing to  contain enough 1080 poison to kill wild dogs. DPI plans to re-run the trial in November but Mr Hall supports a full program of aerial baiting as soon as practical.

“The mix up over the baits is embarrassing because it looks like DPI has been feeding the dogs rather than killing them,” Mr Hall said.

“There’s no point criticising DPI over human error – a mistake has been made but we have to move on and introduce a full program of aerial baiting.

“There is already evidence available from trials in northern and southern New South Wales and the longer we wait, the more native animals and domestic stock that are killed by wild dogs.

“As part of a comprehensive program of trapping, shooting and exclusion fencing, the aerial baiting will allow Victorian DPI officers to target dogs in areas that are difficult to access, particularly in East Gippsland and the North-East.

“The State Government should stop wasting time and move immediately to implement a full program of aerial baiting while retaining all other initiatives to control wild dogs.

“There is widespread community support for aerial baiting and as land manager of vast areas of public land, the State Government has a responsibility to control pests on ‘their’ property.”

Media contact:                  Peter Hall      (03) 5174 7066   or 0427 747 066