Crocodile laws labelled “ill-conceived” and likely to pose “unacceptable risk” to public

KATTER’S Australian Party’s crocodile culling legislation has been labelled “ill-conceived” and likely to pose an “unacceptable risk” to the public by a parliamentary committee.

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KATTER’S Australian Party’s controversial Safer Waterways Bill has been rejected by a parliamentary committee, which has deemed it “ill-conceived” and likely to pose an “unacceptable risk” to the public.

In a report tabled late Friday afternoon, Innovation, Tourism Development and Environment Committee chairman, and Stretton MP Duncan Pegg, said it was “abundantly clear” the issues surrounding crocodile management in Queensland were of significant public interest.

However the Labor MP said measures proposed by the Bill did not have the support of the majority of those who made submissions to the committee’s inquiry, nor those who attended public hearings.

“In particular, the potential for this Bill to allow untrained people to kill crocodiles and also legalise trophy hunting poses a real, serious and completely unacceptable risk to public safety.”

A saltwater crocodile more than 4m long which was spotted along Russell River. Photo: Russell River Progress Association

He said the “ill-conceived” restrictions on foreign investment contained in the Bill threatened the viability of the croc farming industry and jobs in regional Queensland.

“The Committee recommends the Safer Waterways Bill 2018 not be passed,” he said.

Katter Australian Party MP Shane Knuth said the party was not surprised that the Bill was recommended to not be passed.

“The reality is that no private members’ bill has been supported by the committee since it was introduced to Parliament,” he said.

“We are not surprised or shocked. The Bill still has to be debated before Parliament.”

He said the Bill was a way for North Queenslanders to gain control of crocodile issues.

“They can reject this Bill, but the problem still exists,” he said.

“North Queensland waterways are infested by crocodiles and they continue to grow in numbers. We have great concern for our children, our tourism industry and our quality of life in our region.

“We can’t swim in our waterways, and we are told we have to become croc-wise. We’re not hearing them say “be shark-wise in shark country” in the southeast.”

Originally published as Crocodile laws labelled “ill-conceived” and likely to pose “unacceptable risk” to public