DPIPWE outlines rigorous assessment behind the issuing of crop protection permits amid outcry

The Parks and Environment Department has outlined how it keeps tabs on the issuing of permits for the culling of native animals in Tasmania.

THE Government department that issues permits for the culling of native animals says it undertakes audits to ensure conditions are complied with and wildlife populations remain stable.

On Monday, it was revealed that seven platypuses died in nets used in Tasmania’s carp eradication program under permits issued by the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment.

New Right to Information documents showed more than 12,000 crop protection permits had been issued for the culling of native animals in Tasmania including galah, green rosellas, wombat and platypuses in the last 5½ years.

PERMITS ALLOW HUGE NUMBER OF ANIMALS TO BE CULLED

REVEALED: SHOCK NUMBER OF WILDLIFE CULL PERMITS

The quota, or maximum number of the species able to be taken using the permit, showed as many as 21,726 black swans, 675 galahs, 681 green rosellas, 5087 wombats and seven platypuses could have been culled in that time period.

A wombat forages for food at Cradle Mountain. Picture: CHRIS KIDD

A DPIPWE spokeswoman said crop protection permits, including quotas, were issued following a “rigorous assessment” of damage, alternative management measures, species abundance and requirements to uphold animal welfare standards.

“Applicants must also agree to a range of conditions before a permit is granted and the department undertakes audits where required to ensure permit conditions are being adhered to,” the spokeswoman said.

“Prosecution for breaching permit conditions may result in an individual being refused further permits for five years. Long-term wildlife population monitoring indicates the abundance of species subject to crop protection permits remain stable or are increasing, suggesting that quotas for crop protection permits are not being abused.”

Greens MP Rosalie Woodruff called on the Primary Industries Minister to pause the issue of permits to consider their impacts.

“Tourists from overseas and interstate would be appalled to hear that we allow the killing of wombats and black swans and other beautiful animals that tourists come here to see,” she said.

Sixth-generation Tasmanian farmer Roderic O’Connor said some native animals had reached plague proportion in recent years and the crop protection permit system was the best way of keeping the balance.

“It’s not wholesale slaughter — it is controlled shooting and reduction in numbers,” he said.

“It is the only valid way of keeping things in balance otherwise you’ve got to talk about things like 1080 poisoning.”

Mr O’Connor said he had not had issues with species such as sugar gliders or black cockatoos, but he had applied for permits for wombat culling.

“I don’t particularly like it, but if you’ve ever seen a mange-ridden wombat, I think sometimes you’re doing them a favour by dispatching them.”