Feral pigs have been a huge problem for farmers across Australia this past 12 months. Photo: Biosecurity Queensland.
Table Top-based National Party politician Brad Robertson has slammed the NSW Government’s plan to fine landholders who fail to control feral pigs, arguing farmers should not be forced to carry the burden of a problem that extends across public and private land.
The NSW Government is trialling a new feral pig control program in the Walgett region that will require every affected public and private landholder to participate in coordinated control measures.
The program will combine baiting, trapping, aerial shooting and ground shooting, with official biosecurity directions compelling landholders to take part.
Those who fail to comply could face fines of up to $220,000 for individuals and $440,000 for corporations.
Mr Robertson, who unsuccessfully ran for Farrer at the recent by-election, said the threat of fines was the wrong approach to a problem farmers had been dealing with for years.
“No one disputes that feral pigs are a serious problem. They destroy crops, spread disease, damage waterways and cost farmers millions of dollars every year. Effective feral animal control is essential.
“But threatening hardworking farmers with fines while they are already battling rising costs, excessive regulation, labour shortages and seasonal pressures is the wrong approach.”
While there is no reliable estimate on the number of domestic pigs that live and breed in the wild in NSW, the Federal Government’s national feral pig coordinator Bec Gray says there could be as many as 100 million across Australia. Some pigs can weigh as much as 100 kg and reach a height of one metre.
Mr Robertson said the animals moved freely between private properties and public land, making coordinated control essential.
“This is not simply a farm problem. Feral pigs move freely across private land, national parks, state forests, Crown land, conservation reserves and other government-managed land. They do not recognise fences or property boundaries.”
Brad Robertson says feral pigs don’t respect boundaries. Photo: Albury Wodonga Regional Cancer Centre Trust Fund Inc.
The Invasive Species Council has backed the government’s approach, arguing compulsory participation is necessary because feral pigs can undermine control efforts by moving between properties.
Council CEO Jack Gough said the new powers would prevent a small number of landholders from undermining coordinated eradication efforts.
“You cannot eradicate invasive species if participation is optional. Feral pigs don’t recognise property boundaries, so it only takes a handful of government or private landholders refusing to participate to undermine everyone else’s efforts.”
Mr Gough said the program’s combination of aerial and ground shooting, baiting and trapping across different land tenures was needed to tackle the problem.
“Good biosecurity relies on investment, education and clear rules, and all three are essential if we’re serious about protecting agriculture and the environment from invasive species.”
NSW Farmers, however, is opposing the use of mandatory participation backed by potentially hefty fines.
“NSW Farmers has been pushing for greater coordination with landholders across a geographic area for the past few years,” president Rebecca Reardon said.
“However, we are horrified that the government seems more interested in using the big stick with a compliance and fines approach rather than working with farmers.
“Farmers are already doing much of the heavy lifting when it comes to feral pig control, so they are shocked that they are now being threatened with fines, especially when it is largely the public and absentee landholders that are not getting involved.”
Ms Reardon said the challenge was getting everyone across a landscape to work together.
“The challenge is coordinating everyone across the landscape to work together which requires cooperation and coordination.
“This coordination approach, which has the potential to make a real difference, will not be achieved unless the coordinators work with farmers.”
NSW Farmers is seeking more detail about when the pilot will begin, what landholders will be required to do and how it will be funded.
Mr Robertson said the NSW Nationals had proposed greater investment in feral animal control, including aerial culling, trapping programs, new technologies, rapid response teams, exclusion fencing and stronger pest management on public land.
