The feud between leader of the NSW Liberals Mark Speakman and Nationals MLC Wes Fang has once again reignited after Mr Fang blasted the Opposition Leader for backflipping on the Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Act. Photo: Supplied.
Nationals MLC Wes Fang has slammed the NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman’s decision to backflip on the controversial Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Act 2018.
In 2018, Mr Speakman, the Member for Cronulla, voted in favour of the Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Bill, which saw protections granted to horses in Kosciuszko National Park.
However, earlier this week, a new bill repealing the 2018 legislation, penned by Member for Wagga Wagga Dr Joe McGirr, was approved by the Legislative Assembly, with the only real opposition coming from the National Party.
While the repeal is yet to be approved by the NSW Legislative Council (the Upper House of NSW Parliament), MLC Wes Fang has blasted the leader of the Opposition for his backflip, stating the decision was made as a means to protect seats in the inner city of Sydney.
“I think it’s really disappointing that a number of the parties that supported the bill that was previously moved to protect the brumbies and recognise the cultural and heritage aspect that they represented, have flipped and chosen to remove that protection, particularly Mark Speakman,” Mr Fang said.
“I think the leader of the Liberal Party has failed the character test when it comes to the issue of brumbies.
“He was happy to support the original bill previously, but, like the lightweight that he is, he flips and flops depending on the breeze.
“[The decision to flip] in relation to the Liberal Party is purely out of desperation to try and protect their inner city Sydney seats as opposed to recognising the cultural and heritage aspects of the brumbies as they previously did.
“This is a blight on their reputation.”
Mr Speakman defended his decision, stating that ever-changing science and treatment of the national park led to the shift in his decision.
“The science is clear on the enormous damage that the overpopulation of introduced feral horses in Kosciuszko National Park is doing to its extraordinarily fragile alpine and sub-alpine ecosystems,” he said.
“I have long called for humane ways of permanently managing the feral horse population, including permanent sterilisation.
“The Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Repeal Bill 2025, if enacted, would help a science-based approach to managing an invasive species in a protected natural environment.
“The Liberals’ position is about appropriate stewardship of our natural environment.”
Leading the charge against the bill is resident of the Rock, Georgina Gorman, who has penned the Stop the Repeal of the Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Act 2018 e-petition, which received more than 7000 signatures.
Ms Gorman said the decision from the NSW Legislative Assembly to vote in favour of the repeal was strictly political and did not reflect the views of the people the MPs were elected to represent.
“For all the parties to agree in 2018 and then for parties to disagree now in 2025, it’s all political,” she said.
“It’s now October, and they have to pass so many bills each year in parliament, and this is the one (Member for Wagga) Dr Joe McGirr has chosen to latch onto.
“There are other animals up there [Kosciuszko National Park] that do damage. The last thermal count that they did last year revealed that it was under 3000 horses in the park.
“They don’t need to remove the heritage bill. All they need to do is control the numbers, get someone in there every couple of years to do a count, and then go from there.
“It’s about controlling the numbers. And they don’t want to do that!”
Member for Wagga Dr Joe McGirr has insisted the decision to repeal the original legislation is the right one to protect the national park.
“It’s a controversial debate on social media, and there’s a lot of feeling,” he said.
“I understand these strong feelings people have about the horses, but the fact of the matter is, when you look at it calmly and scientifically, people understand that we have to protect the park.”
