hunting in nsw national parks

["Philip Veerman" <>]

I would agree with Mark that this whole situation is not supportable on conservation or science grounds and has serious other risks like safety that are already addressed. It may also be true that Basically we have been treated like idiots. That is something that can be said about the explanation or lack thereof offered for this hare brained scheme (spelling error intentional). However I think it is a little unfair to be critical of that a reply that was almost word for word to a reply a colleague received from Conroy when she emailed the Premier. I also know of a retired senior Federal Government researcher who worked on feral species who received essentially the same reply. I suspect I am not the only COG member who has worked for years in areas of the PS that writes responses to Ministerials and answers to parliamentary questions and similar stuff. For me, it was in very dull and non dynamic (institutionally staid) parts of Veterans' Affairs. Not that I am suggesting I disagreed with the official line taken because the questions were usual way contrary to the intention of the government capacity or duty. My point being of course that responses from government are going to be mostly the same, otherwise they would look dopey. So that is not a problem, or not as much as being consistently inadequate in the thought process is. I saw for years in different sections of the department, the same paragraphs trotted out to hundreds of people writing basically the same questions to the Minister whether in a Labor or Liberal governments. Years later I could still pretty much recite these.

 

Philip

 

-----Original Message-----From: Mark Clayton [ Sent: Monday, 4 February 2013 5:18 PM      To: 'jude hopwood'; 'COG'
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] hunting in nsw national parks

Jude,

 

I wouldn’t hold your breath waiting for a sensible reply from the Premier, Robin Parker who is the Environment Minister (I wonder if she actually knows what the term means?!!!), nor from Bob Conroy, the Director “Conservation Operations Division” (my quotation marks) for the National Parks and Wildlife Service. As I think I said in a previous email, I received a reply from the Premier’s Parliamentary Secretary, the “Honourable (again my quotation marks) Marie Ficarra that was almost word for word to a reply a colleague received from Conroy when she emailed the Premier. I also know of a retired senior Federal Government researcher who worked on feral species who received essentially the same reply. Basically we have been treated like idiots!

 

One thing that really gets on my goat – excuse the pun (intended) – is that the Game Council, a section within the Premier’s Department, has now declared that the deer “hunting” season has now CLOSED. What sort of morons are running this show. The whole thing smacks of hypocracy!!!

 

I must add that I am disappointed by what appears to be the apathy shown by most COG members to this problem and I have not heard of the committee doing anything – I hope I am mistaken. Only a few people have replied to my original email. If people don’t protest then we deserve what we cop.

 

Mark

 

From: jude hopwood [
Sent: Monday, 4 February 2013 4:44 PM
To: COG
Subject: [canberrabirds] hunting in nsw national parks

 

Dear All,

Appended:  cut and paste direct from current NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service website

                         Protest form letter from http://nohunting.wildwalks.com/  for those who might like to express an (edited) opinion before this legislation is enacted in March

 

Further to Philip's original email and Mark's comments on dogs with hunters, I was inspired to look at the NSW Parks website and found something to make one's gobsmacked brain reel a  little more.  How has the description of 'Illegal Activities in National Parks' gone from that selected and noted below to the new legislation? How are hunters going to move around the parks with shooting equipment and remain on the 'authorised' roads?  Does their 'bag' lie where it is shot? Are the shooters permitted to 'harvest' their kill?  I am awaiting response from premier's department.

 

Thank heavens we also have those who are brave enough to attend to the deadly and pesky duck problem! Kind of the dept to encourage them to 'enjoy their harvest'. Surely a re-introduced and expanded duck destruction season is just what we need...

 

Respectfully,

Jude

Illegal Activities in Parks

If you see anyone doing anything suspicious in a park or reserve, please report it. Illegal activities may include:

·         hunting of any kind

·         trapping or collecting birds, birds' eggs, reptiles or other animals

·         driving or riding vehicles, bikes and horses on unauthorised track

3.Conservation Hunting
to assist rice farmers

Over the past two years NSW and inland Australia have been experiencing significant rainfall. As a result of this, ducks have been breeding up over the past 18 months. The rainfall has also meant that this year there will be significant areas of rice grown in southern NSW. Holders of NSW Game Hunting Licences can participate in the NSW Game Bird Management Program and assist farmers by controlling ducks that have the potential to ruin crops by eating the freshly planted seed, young emerging plants and, later, the mature crop.

Will I be able to utilise the ducks harvested under this program?

Yes, although the program is a mitigation program, hunters must hunt ethically and legally. Game Council also encourages all hunters involved to remove and utilise the ducks taken in the program so that they can enjoy the wild harvest.