Souris vs Snipe

[Megan Mears <>]

Dear all,

Jack Holland's editorial in the recent Gang-gang prompted me to find out more about the Australian Painted Snipe (APS). I hadn't realised that the APS is 'nationally threatened under the EPBC Act' http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/publications/pubs/painted-snipe.pdf though I'm sure many of you are well aware.

On the APS Project section at the Birds Austalia website the APS is listed as

•     Endangered in New South Wales
•     Threatened in Victoria

and 'In 2011 BirdLife Australia nominated  the Australian Painted Snipe to be upgraded to Endangered under the EPBC Act; a result will be found in 2012.' http://birdlife.org.au/projects/painted-snipe-project

I was interested in the APS's status, as a form letter I received from The Hon George Souris last week, states the following (italics):

Under existing legislation game bird hunting is allowed on
agricultural land for pest management purposes. Under the new laws game bird
hunting will be allowed for “sustainable agricultural management purposes
only”.

Currently under the National Parks and Wildlife Act individuals
can obtain a licence to hunt game birds on private land in NSW for pest
management purposes.

The Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH)
administers the native game bird licensing regime for land-holders and hunters.
Hunters are also required to have a Game Council issued general licence. 

The OEH establishes annual quotas of native game birds to be culled
based on scientific evidence.  In the year 2009/10 when John Robertson was the
Environment Minister the quota was 33,425.

Game bird hunting
predominantly happens in rice growing areas like the Riverina and towns nearby
the Murray. Some are issued for cereal crops or to protect areas such as golf
courses.

The Shooters and Fishers Party’s Bill proposed removing many
restrictions on native game bird hunting, with the policy development and
administration of licences to be done by the Game Council. 

The
Government’s amendments that were supported by Parliament provide better
protection for native game birds and ensure an ongoing role for the Office of
Environment and Heritage.

Under the changes native game bird hunting will
be restricted to sustainable agricultural management purposes only. 

The
policy development and science, including the setting of quotas, will be done by
a new Game Bird Management Committee.

Naturally my first thought was for an alternative universe where this is not happening but then I became curious about a conflict between the laws that protect the APS and those that allow game bird hunting nearby the Murray. At http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/publications/pubs/painted-snipe.pdf
it states

The species has a scattered distribution throughout many parts of Australia, with a single
record from Tasmania. Though some individuals are apparently resident in some areas, other
individuals appear to be nomadic, temporarily occupying areas where suitable habitat exists.
The Murray–Darling drainage system appears to have been a key area for this species, as many
records of this species come from this region.
Although the Australian Painted Snipe can occur across Australia, the areas of most sensitivity
to the species are those wetlands where the birds frequently occur and are known to breed.

Ideally one of you will tell me a process is already well underway, that it will clog the court for years, buying lots of time for the APS and other birds, until there are policy or gov't changes however I also looked on the Duck Hunting website which starts in Victoria in March and is looking like an excellent season. Is anyone aware of whether the effects of shooters removing  33 000 game birds from areas near the Murray consitutes 'a  significant impact on a matter of national environmental significance' for the APS?  If it is likely there is a referral procedure through the Australian Government Dept of the Env. Water, Heritage and the Arts, http://www.environment.gov.au/epbc/publications/pubs/nes-guidelines.pdf   I have no legal nor scientific background to make further suggestions and don't know whether COG has been involved in previous such cases. Perhaps  Birds Australia already has a case in progress? Perhaps the APS habitat does fall within the boundaries of what can be protected though in addition the status of the APS there are also protected communities such as the Natural Grasslands of the Murray Valley Plains, which cover a huge area. http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/communities/maps/pubs/117-map.pdf

Looking forward to your assurances that no APS will be harmed through the recent changes,

Megan Mears




Letters in full are copied below, though I removed my home email address.


Dear Ms Mears

Thank you for your letter regarding the changes to
regulations regarding game bird management.  

Whilst we were given a
mandate to fix NSW and to bring its debt under control, the Liberals &
Nationals do not have control of the Upper House. Given the Leader of the
Opposition, John Robertson’s, opposition to the Ports legislation we were forced
to negotiate with the Cross Bench, to have important legislation passed in the
Upper House.

Under existing legislation game bird hunting is allowed on
agricultural land for pest management purposes. Under the new laws game bird
hunting will be allowed for “sustainable agricultural management purposes
only”.

Currently under the National Parks and Wildlife Act individuals
can obtain a licence to hunt game birds on private land in NSW for pest
management purposes.

The Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH)
administers the native game bird licensing regime for land-holders and hunters.
Hunters are also required to have a Game Council issued general licence. 

The OEH establishes annual quotas of native game birds to be culled
based on scientific evidence.  In the year 2009/10 when John Robertson was the
Environment Minister the quota was 33,425.

Game bird hunting
predominantly happens in rice growing areas like the Riverina and towns nearby
the Murray. Some are issued for cereal crops or to protect areas such as golf
courses.

The Shooters and Fishers Party’s Bill proposed removing many
restrictions on native game bird hunting, with the policy development and
administration of licences to be done by the Game Council. 

The
Government’s amendments that were supported by Parliament provide better
protection for native game birds and ensure an ongoing role for the Office of
Environment and Heritage.

Under the changes native game bird hunting will
be restricted to sustainable agricultural management purposes only. 

The
policy development and science, including the setting of quotas, will be done by
a new Game Bird Management Committee.

The Committee will be chaired by
the Department of Primary Industries and comprise both the Game Council and
Office of Environment and Heritage. The Committee will determine quotas on the
best available science, the periods in which and areas within which native game
birds can be hunted.

The administration of licences will be done by the
Game Council. 

The changes provide a much better balance, and are
significant improvements. 

Thank you for writing to me on this
issue.

Kind regards,

Office of Hon. George Souris MP
Minister
for Tourism, Major Events, Hospitality and Racing
Minister for the
Arts
_____________________________________________ 
Email: 
Tel:
9228 5218
Fax: 9228 5968
This message is intended for the addressee named
and may contain confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient,
please delete it and notify the sender. Views expressed in this message are
those of the individual sender, and are not necessarily those of the office of
the Minister.




-----Original Message-----
From: Ms Megan
Mears
Sent: Thursday, 7 February 2013 9:50
PM
To: Public Souris' Office Email
Subject: Stop Hunting in our National
Parks

The Hon. George Souris, MP
Minister for Tourism

Dear
Minister,

I write to request that members of the NSW Coalition Government
take action to stop recreational shooting in our national parks and the
significant expansion of duck hunting in NSW.

I am one of many citizens
appalled by the outcome from the deal between the NSW Coalition Government and
the Shooters and Fishers Party, allowing recreational shooting in our national
parks and other reserve areas.

I am outraged to note that this socially
and environmentally irresponsible decision has gone unchallenged by every member
of the Liberal and National Party. Each member has therefore endorsed a group
that seeks to involve children as young as 12 years old in hunting activities,
and investment in an amateur program that is ineffective in controlling feral
animals.

The primary objective of any feral animal control program should
be the reduction of feral animal populations using the most efficient, humane
methods available.

The changes to legislation you have allowed in 2012
occurred to meet the objectives of increasing the number of programs
recreational shooters can legally participate in, and the size of hunting
areas.

It is not in the interest of the Game Council of NSW that any
program to control feral animals is completely successful; as it would lead to a
reduction in recreational shooting programs for its membership.

Reducing
feral animals in our parks must be carried out by professionals in a systematic
and evidence based way. Recreational hunters pose a safety risk to park staff
and visitors.

I am also appalled that your government has brought about
changes that reintroduce duck hunting as a sport. By shifting the responsibility
of the issuing of duck shooting licences to the NSW Game Council, there will be
a significant expansion of duck hunting for pleasure.The Game Council is an
agency with the primary purpose of promoting and expanding hunting in
NSW.

The practice of duck hunting carries significant animal cruelty
concerns, as native ducks are often maimed and left to face  a prolonged and
inhumane death.

I therefore request that members of the NSW Coalition
Government act to:
- Repeal the amendments to the Game and Feral Animal
Control Act 2002, passed on 27th June 2012, which allow shooting in national
parks and other reserves; and
-  Repeal the amendments to the Game and Feral
Animal Control Act 2002 and the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 which
transfer responsibility for issuing licences to hunt native ducks to the NSW
Game Council, an agency with the primary purpose of promoting and expanding
hunting in NSW.

Yours sincerely,

Ms. Megan Mears