AGRICULTURE minister Leanne Donaldson’s own department approved a program using wild dogs to control feral goats on Pelorus Island, which was later banned by the department of environment.
In an embarrassment for the Palaszczuk government which is still reeling from the failure of its controversial vegetation laws, environment minister Steven Miles appears to have at least in part halted the program following complaints from animal welfare groups.
Under the Department of Agriculture approved program, four wild dogs were released onto the island off the North Queensland coast to control feral goats which were destroying native vegetation on the island. The wild dogs had been desexed and injected with a slow release capsule containing the poison 1080. The wild dogs were expected to die about 18 months to two years after being released on the 400 hectare (988 acre) island after they had time to eradicate the goat population.
The program was approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of the Department of Agriculture, which had engaged consultants from the University of Southern Queensland.
However, what has farmers more concerned is suggestions the ban could be linked to use of 1080, a major weapon in the ongoing fight against wild dogs across Queensland. The concerns are also being driven by suggestions that the Palaszczuk government is increasingly viewing wild dogs as a necessary apex predator in the environment.
Farmers also argue that Dr Miles is not fulfilling his obligations as environment minister and taking the necessary actions to manage wild dogs on government managed lands.
Member for Hinchinbrook and opposition natural resources spokesman Andrew Cripps said he did not believe the decision was based on science or environmental grounds.
“What we saw last week was just a politically opportunistic stunt from the Palaszczuk government,” Mr Cripps said.
“Steven Miles couldn’t even pronounce the name of the island correctly and Leanne Donaldson sat there mute and absurd while her department got shafted.”
Mr Cripps said Ms Donaldson had hung out to dry the public servants in her department by supporting the decision.
“What minister Donaldson appears to have done is support blatant political interference in a process that is guided by scientific principles and undermined an independent decision made by her officers in the Department of Agriculture. That’s appalling behaviour,” Mr Cripps said.
“Meanwhile, environment minister Steven Miles has totally ignored the fact the major problem with the feral goats on Pelorus is that they are destroying large sections of native vegetation, which is in fact a habitat for native animals that do actually live on the island.
“Minister Miles appears to have given up on the real environmental issue on Pelorus Island to chase some cheap political points without an alternative solution and left council to try and address the issue using expensive methods that have previously been unsuccessful.”
Dr Miles said he was protecting the threatened beach stone-curlew by issuing an interim conservation order under the Nature Conservation Act 1992. That order required Hinchinbrook Shire Council to immediately cease the use of wild dogs to eradicate feral goats on Pelorus Island.
“I was shocked to learn of this cruel experiment but even more alarming is the lack of thought for the native animals on the island,” Dr Miles said.
“Pest control should always be carried out in the most humane way possible. Not by death row dingoes.
“While the control of feral goats and other pests is a responsibility of all landholders, the methods employed should not pose a risk to threatened native wildlife species.”
Agriculture minister Leanne Donaldson said the program her department had approved was inhumane.
“I fully support the action minister Miles is taking today,” Ms Donaldson said.
“It was very frustrating for me to learn that under current legislation I had no power to intervene.
“As soon as I heard the detail of the council’s plan I sought urgent advice on whether I could step in on the grounds that it is a cruel and inhumane solution.
“At the inaugural meeting of the Animal Welfare Advisory Board I asked members to consider whether such practices are in line with current community expectations on animal welfare.
“There has to be a more humane way to deal with a feral pest problem.”
In the joint media release issued by the Palaszczuk government, RSPCA Queensland chief executive officer Mark Townend said the RSPCA also supported the decision.
“We at the RSPCA had a number of concerns regarding the decision to put dingoes on the island in the first place,” Mr Townend said.
“We felt there were significant animal welfare issues not just for the goats but for smaller, native animals on the island and the dingoes themselves.”
Interim conservation orders are designed for use where there is a likelihood of a significant detrimental impact on threatened wildlife.
