Ministers at odds on ending wild dog control

Victorian Agriculture Minister Ros Spence is believed to be battling biodiversity bureaucrats in a bid to extend wild dog controls for three more years.

Environment Minister Steve Dimopoulos is under pressure from Agriculture Minister Ros Spence to extend wild dog controls for another three years.

Victorian Agriculture Minister Ros Spence is believed to be battling biodiversity bureaucrats in a bid to extend wild dog controls across eastern Victoria for three more years.

The Weekly Times is aware Ms Spence has been lobbying Environment Minister Steve Dimopoulos to back an extension, as the joint-ministerial order allowing wild dogs to be trapped, shot or baited on crown land, within 3km of private property, comes to an end on September 30.

But biodiversity unit bureaucrats are urging Minister Dimopoulos not to renew the order, arguing such a move would go against traditional owner calls to protect dingoes.

Dja Dja Wurrung elder and chief executive Rodney Carter said the dingo, or Gal Gal, was an ancestral spirit and companion animal that was “grossly misunderstood and under appreciated”.

Gippsland’s Gurnaikurnai Land and Waters Corporation failed to respond to questions on its position, while the Taungurung traditional owners of the state’s north east responded by stating it had not made its position public.

In September last year three government ministers signed an order extending lethal control of dingoes for just 12 months, to allow time for a major review on the future of the wild dogs, in consultation with all stakeholders.

At the time, then Agriculture Minister Gayle Tierney, Environment Minister Ingrid Stitt and Outdoor Recreation Minister Sonya Kilkenny promised “informed consultation with traditional owners, graziers and peak bodies representing the affected farming community and conservation interests”, prior to extending or ending lethal control of wild dogs.

Yet Ms Spence and Mr Dimopoulos have waited until this month to launch last-minute rounds of consultation with farmers.

Just five 2hr drop-in sessions have been held across Victoria’s 15 wild dog management zones this week, at Hopetoun, Tallangatta, Mansfield, Omeo and Gelantipy.

Victorian Farmers Federation livestock group councillor Peter Start said about 70-80 people turned up to the Tallangatta meeting he attended, with another 70 at Omeo, 50 at Gelantipy and 20 at Hopetoun in the north west.

Mr Star said it was clear biodiversity unit staff attending the sessions backed University of NSW geneticist Kylie Cairns research findings that nearly all wild dogs are dingoes and should be protected.

But he said he was aware Dr Cairns research was being reviewed and that the government should await those findings before making any decision on wild dogs.

He and other farmers have also argued that if all wild dogs are dingoes, why did they need protection, given the livestock losses they inflicted.

Victoria is the only state or territory to declare dingoes a threatened species.