Zero grey kangaroo quota will harm western towns, Senators say

The decision by the state government last November to impose a zero quota for the commercial harvest of eastern grey kangaroos in parts of Queensland's central zone came into force on Wednesday and has been widely condemned as acting on ideology rather than with understanding.

The ban on shooting both grey kangaroos and common wallaroos covers Bulloo, Murweh, Paroo and Quilpie shires, while the grey kangaroo ban extends to Barcaldine, Barcoo, Blackall-Tambo, Flinders, Longreach, McKinlay, Richmond and Winton shires.

The proposed harvest quota was submitted by the state government in accordance with the Wildlife Trade Management Plan population trigger points, and endorsed by the federal government.

Quilpie grazier Stephen Tully, formerly AgForce's kangaroo industry spokesman, said that apart from affecting kangaroo shooters, who would be decimated, the zero cull wouldn't have any effect on macropod populations.

"All it will do is take people's livelihoods away," he said.

For all the significance placed on quotas, Mr Tully said numbers had bounced back from the death of 35 million kangaroos in the state in the 2002 drought period.

"If we harvest a few, natural deaths will be less," he said. "And remember, quotas are only about harvesting males."

Aramac harvester David 'Cujo' Coulton was less concerned about the zero quota, saying it wouldn't be the end of the industry in his area but would be "felt by the boys down south".

"The reds roll through here, following the wind and storms," he said, adding that the 13 shooters in his area delivered 840 tonnes of roo meat to Longreach and Townsville during 46 operational weeks each year.

Of 220 kangaroos dispatched to Longreach the week he spoke, 170 of them were red kangaroos.

He was more concerned about the effect of exclusion fences than drought, saying kangaroos were struggling to adapt to changes in routes they'd followed forever.

"Everything evolves, they'll learn, but it's a grass fight going on now."

Mr Coulton said shooters from the Blackall district had already moved north to where there were less fences and less damage mitigation permits in place.

In the south, Maranoa Kangaroo Harvesters and Growers Cooperative co-chair Bim Struss said he was anticipating an influx of harvesters from the Charleville area to where their box was located at Mitchell.

"We've all got the same drought conditions - why the government pulled up at Morven, I don't know," he said.

"I'd like to see the kangaroo population managed a lot better than it has been.

"Instead of damage mitigation permits, if we can get to the stage of making money from red meat, that would be the best outcome."

Longreach's population, already sliced dramatically after years of drought, has another 18 skilled jobs at stake from the zero quota decision - a decision that mayor Ed Warren said had been imposed without any consultation or reference to communities or the industry.

"It was a blanket decision - the methodology has to have some connection with communities and the impact on them," he said. "Don't just make it because there are a few less at Richmond."

Questioned about the impact of exclusion fencing, Cr Warren said there had always been kangaroos behind fences, thanks to government legislation until 1983 that mandated leases couldn't be renewed unless property boundaries inside the Dingo Barrier Fence were fenced to rabbit-proof standard.

"There will always be roos," he said.

Commenting that eastern greys had often reached plague proportions thanks to property improvements, Cr Warren said more sensible management would include value adding opportunities.

"If there are less roos, they've got more room to roam and grow," he said.

Mr Tully said fences could be assisting the maintenance of kangaroo populations, in that numbers were likely to be more static than in boom bust phases.

"The more they build up, the more they will crash," he said.

Federal Senators, the LNP's Paul Scarr included, were among those condemning the decision by the Queensland government to suspend the harvest of eastern grey kangaroos in the state's centre.

Speaking in parliament last November, Mr Scarr said western Queensland kangaroo harvesters and processors had been given very short notice of the "ideological, self-indulgent ban".

It came in an October letter from the government inviting them to renew licences for 2020, advising in the last paragraph of the quota changes.

"Apply for your licence, but you get no quota," Mr Scarr said. "Thanks for that, Palaszczuk-Trad government. You really understand the regions, don't you?"

The 2020 quota recommendations, based on aerial counts, are made by state governments and endorsed by the federal government.

Fellow Senator Pauline Hanson slammed the decision, saying it was driving nails into the coffins of drought-ravaged towns.

"Premier Palaszczuk and her MPs should absolutely hang their heads in shame for the grief they are causing workers, their families and these broken communities, and for decisions that are killing Queensland," Ms Hanson said.

"Roo shooting is well regulated, it's very viable for rural areas, a strong employer, and is one of few industries that continues strongly during drought."

Charleville resident Paige Donald, whose partner's roo shooting career was among those under threat, told Ms Hanson their future in the town was uncertain.

They were contemplating a move to NSW, where kangaroo shooting is continuing.

"We will definitely have to look at the options...as there is not sufficient work here in Charleville," Ms Donald said. "This closure is going to kill (the jobs of) a lot of the local shooters."

Senator Scarr said he had written to Queensland Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch, asking her to restore quotas in the central zone, and to conduct departmental forums so stakeholders could be heard.

He said that once it rained, producers would be facing a fast rebuild of macropod populations, which needed good management not ideological self-indulgence.

Mr Scarr also called for a review of the kangaroo industry in Australia, citing Australian National University zoologist George Wilson, who co-authored a research paper last year arguing that commercial incentives should be put in place so landholders had a reason to harvest kangaroos on their properties.

Read more: MLA urged to help develop Australia's kangaroo meat industry

Putting more value on kangaroo meat and allowing landholders to commercially harvest kangaroos would have other environmental and conservation benefits, Dr Wilson said.

The paper also commented on non-commercial culling via damage mitigation permits to manage drought conditions, and risked poor animal welfare outcomes.

"Those kangaroos, when they are shot under damage mitigation permits, are left to rot on the ground. It is madness," Mr Scarr quoted him as saying. "Instead of that resource being harvested and used in a sustainable way, it is left to rot in the paddocks."

According to an Environment Department spokesman the Nature Conservation Act 1992 recognises that in some situations, it is necessary to take wildlife to minimise damage or loss of property or to protect human health or wellbeing.

"A damage mitigation permit allows a person to take wildlife in such circumstances," he said.

"To be eligible for a DMP, applicants must demonstrate there is a real need to take the wildlife, and that they have taken reasonable steps to mitigate the damage caused by the wildlife.

"A DMP holder can engage another person to take the wildlife, but the act does not allow animals taken under a DMP to be used commercially."

In 2019, 370 DMPs were approved with the allowed take of one, two or three of the commercial macropod species.