WILD DOGS —
PASTORAL LEASES
717. Hon DIANE EVERS to the Minister for Environment:
(1) Will the
minister please advise what action is taken with wild dogs when a pastoral
lease is relinquished?
(2) I refer to
the Kadji Kadji pastoral lease purchased in 2003, the Lochada pastoral lease
purchased in 2000 and the Barnong pastoral lease purchased in 2007. With regard
to each of those pastoral leases that were purchased under the Gascoyne–Murchison
strategy by the state and commonwealth governments in the years indicated, what
action was taken and when was it taken, by the department—that is, the
Department of Conservation and Land Management, the Department of Environment,
the Department of Parks and Wildlife and now the Department of Biodiversity,
Conservation and Attractions—in relation to the management of wild
dogs?
(3) In relation to (2), what was the
outcome of the actions taken?
(4) Does the government routinely
close water supplies on relinquished or purchased pastoral lands?
(5) If
yes to (4), what steps does the government take to mitigate the impact
on native animals?
Hon
STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1) The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and
Attractions undertakes strategic, coordinated wild dog control on former
pastoral lands under its management in partnership with recognised biosecurity
groups. DBCA attends recognised biosecurity group meetings to ensure that
strategic wild dog control priorities, including DBCA control activities, are
discussed and agreed upon. DBCA distributes wild dog baits as part of community
wild dog control programs coordinated by RBGs. DBCA also undertakes reactive
baiting throughout the year in response to evidence of increased wild dog
activity and DBCA staff are trained and authorised to shoot wild dogs on sight.
DBCA facilitates access to former pastoral lands by licensed pest management
technicians employed by RBGs to carry out wild dog baiting, trapping and
shooting.
(2) Since the
acquisition of Kadji Kadji, Lochada and Barnong, DBCA has established
partnerships with the Central Wheatbelt Biosecurity Association and the Meekatharra
Rangelands Biosecurity Association. These partnerships are formalised in a memorandum
of understanding established with each biosecurity association. The MOUs
provide the framework of agreement for coordinated wild dog control, including
on these former pastoral stations. DBCA distributes wild dog baits on these
lands twice a year as part of a broader community baiting strategy coordinated
by the respective biosecurity associations. DBCA also carries out reactive
baiting throughout the year in response to evidence of increased wild dog
activity. An average of 9 300 baits are distributed across these areas
annually.
(3) Strategic
wild dog control priorities undertaken in association with groups such as the
Meekatharra Rangelands Biosecurity Association and the Central Wheatbelt
Biosecurity Association deliver stronger wild dog management.
(4) In the years
following acquisition of pastoral lands, DBCA progressively initiated the
closure of some artificial waters on those lands, where these waters were not
required for ongoing pest animal control, fire management or other purposes. No
active water point closure program is currently in place.
(5) Generally,
water points have been progressively closed over several years, typically
during mild winter conditions or during periods of widespread surface water
availability. This encourages more water-reliant animals to disperse across the
landscape as windmills are decommissioned, wells covered and dams either closed
or filled in.