Australian Greens: Minister must do his job on invasive species control

The Minister must do his job on invasive species control.

The Greens are joining calls from farmers for an immediate resumption of invasive species control across NSW, who are alarmed at the almost 6 week pause on feral species control statewide, while an investigation is conducted into an aerial culling operation in Kosciuszko National Park.

Greens MP and spokesperson for the environment and agriculture Sue Higginson said, “Safety is a paramount concern for the Greens but the National Parks and Wildlife Service is a trusted organisation, with the highest standards for operations during feral animal control so it is quite frankly shocking that the Liberal Government has taken 6 weeks to investigate this incident while NSW farmers and the environment are threatened with rapidly expanding populations of invasive species across NSW.

“The hypocrisy and reckless disregard that the coalition is showing to the environment, farmers, land managers and the rest of the Country is gobsmacking.”

“The pause on all invasive species control across the National Park Estate to pander to shock jocks, in light of the current climatic conditions is harmful in the extreme.“

Commitments from the NSW Minister for the Environment that were made last week at the National Environment Ministers Meeting to better manage invasive species are completely contrary to his actions that are allowing invasive species run amok across the State.

“Another period of extended wet is expanding the range of many feral animals at a time when land managers and farmers are already tackling statewide floods, so it is more important than ever that the NSW Government is safely conducting invasive species control”.

“It is disgraceful that the Environment Minister is pandering to shock jocks and his National Party cabinet colleagues instead of keeping his own commitments to invasive species control.”