WILD DOGS —
ESPERANCE
931. Hon PETER COLLIER to
the Minister for Environment:
This question is asked on behalf of Hon
Dr Steve Thomas, who is on urgent parliamentary business.
I
refer to the Esperance Biosecurity Association decision to stop wild dog
baiting on land managed by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation
and Attractions, including unallocated crown land, after 17 years of
cooperative activity, ostensibly because of new onerous compliance conditions.
(1) Has DBCA asked the Esperance Biosecurity
Association to accept full liability for any outcomes stemming from the
use of 1080 baits?
(2) What changes to operating conditions or compliance
have been requested or demanded by DBCA in relation to baiting programs?
(3) Does DBCA undertake any of its
own 1080 baiting programs in Western Australia?
(4) Do the
compliance conditions that DBCA applies to itself vary from the conditions
applied to the Esperance Biosecurity Association; and, if so, what is that
variance?
(5) Does DBCA
have representation on or regular meetings with the Esperance Biosecurity
Association; and, if so, why has it not sought a mutually beneficial outcome to
this impasse?
Hon
STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1) No.
(2) During a review
of operational procedures in 2019, the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation
and Attractions identified that the permit holding practice was inconsistent
with the requirements of the Medicines and
Poisons (Section 72) (Registered Pesticides 1080 and PAPP) Notice 2018 and the ''Code
of Practice for the Safe Use and Management of Registered Pesticides
containing 1080, PAPP and STRYCHNINE''. In response, DBCA revised the
template for the memoranda of understanding with recognised biosecurity groups
for wild dog control. RBGs were made aware of this change in June 2019. DBCA is
now actively working with the Department of Primary Industries and Regional
Development and the Department of Health to develop options that will be
discussed with RBGs to find a pragmatic solution that enables wild dog control
to continue.
(3) Yes.
(4) No. All 1080 and strychnine supply, use and
possession must conform with the notice and code of practice.
(5) A DBCA
officer regularly attends Esperance Biosecurity Association meetings, and
relevant parties are actively working to resolve this issue.