‘Outrageous’: Controversial bill to cull and relocate Queensland crocs has sparked outrage
A wildlife expert has warned culling Queensland’s crocodile population “only creates a false sense of security”.
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A controversial bill sparked outrage among Far North community leaders vying to prevent a mass culling of Queensland’s crocodiles.
Far North Queensland leaders slammed the newly introduced Crocodile Control and Conservation Bill, which aims to “eliminate crocodiles (that) pose a threat to human life from Queensland waterways”.
The bill would implement a “zero tolerance policy” for crocodiles in populated waterways, and proposed that they should be relocated or euthanised.
Indigenous elders, ranger groups and local scientists overwhelmingly condemned the bill at a public hearing held in Palm Cove on Thursday.
Senior consultant to Gunggandji Elders, Margaret Barstow, said the proposed culling disrespected Far North Indigenous communities with sacred connection to the local crocodile population.
“To suggest trophy hunting on others’ land is outrageous,” Ms Barstow said in her submission.
“Especially as it is done without thorough consultation with elders with totems of crocodile or sea eagle.”
Hill MP Shane Knuth finally tabled the controversial bill in February 2025 after four failed attempts, saying Far North Queensland was “increasingly unsafe due to government inaction on the crocodile crisis”.
“I’ve received reports from locals about crocodiles floating through the recent floodwaters and entering residential properties,” Mr Knuth said.
Daintree wildlife guide David White said culling the Far North crocodile population would be more dangerous for residents than living beside them.
“It’s about education, not eradication,” Mr White said.
“The only thing killing them does is create a false sense of security. It’s that complacency that kills people, not getting rid of the crocodiles.
“We can never make the waterways 100 per cent crocodile-free, so I would challenge anyone to go swimming if this bill goes through.
“I don’t think any of the authors of the bill would be swimming in croc country either way.
“It’s all about croc-wise behaviour, we’ve got to learn to live with them.”
Gunggandi traditional owner and North Queensland Land Council director Warren Martens said Far North First Nations groups had not been adequately consulted before the bill was tabled.
“This bill is trying to allow people to kill crocs when they shouldn’t be, because it goes against our totems,” Mr Martens said.
“I felt that Aboriginal people needed to have a voice, and with my knowledge that I’ve developed, I felt that I needed to present to the inquiry to fill in some of those gaps that weren’t being picked up.
“We don’t want to go back to the days when we had to manage crocs at incredibly low numbers.”
Saltwater crocodiles in Queensland were hunted to near extinction in the 1970s and classed as a ‘vulnerable’ species in 1992, with enormous efforts made by conservation groups to rebuild the population over the past 40 years.
The committee assigned to public proceedings of the Crocodile Control and Conservation Bill 2025 is due to table its report by July 25 2025.
Once the committee’s report has been tabled, the government has three months to respond to the report’s recommendations.
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