News

Coalition commits to bringing wild dogs under control

Monday 16 January 2017

Nationals Member for Ovens Valley Tim McCurdy has welcomed the Liberal-Nationals announcement of new measures to bring wild dog numbers under control.

The Andrews Labor Government’s weakening of wild dog management has left numbers out-of-control, while attacks on livestock continue to take an emotional and financial toll on landowners.

At the Mountain Cattlemen’s Association of Victoria Annual Get Together in Buchan on the weekend Nationals Leader and Shadow Minister for Agriculture Peter Walsh announced the Liberal-Nationals’ commitment to:

• Appoint an independent chair to the Wild Dog Control Advisory Committee, with relevant wild dog control experience;
• Restore majority landowner representation to the Committee;
• Cut red tape that hampers wild dog controllers and affected landowners from control efforts;
• A competitive tender process for spring and autumn aerial baiting to ensure maximum value and effectiveness for investment.

“The Andrews Labor Government has failed to listen to landholders and has significantly reduced their representation on the advisory committee,” Mr McCurdy said.

“An elected Liberal-Nationals government would also cut red tape that hampers wild dog controllers and affected landowners from control efforts and have committed to a competitive tender process for spring and autumn aerial baiting.”

Mr McCurdy said Agriculture Minister Jaala Pulford axed the wild dog bounty without reason, abandoning farmers for two years to conduct a review.

“The Liberal-Nationals understand how devastating wild dog attacks are for landholders and we’ve listened to their concerns that what Labor is offering falls far short of what they need,” he said.

“An elected Liberal-Nationals government will give the people with the relevant skills and first-hand experience a voice to restore farmers’ faith in wild dog control efforts.”