Roo cull to continue at reduced scale
By
Ewan Gilbert
Updated
1 hour 12 minutes ago
The ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal (ACAT) has ruled a planned cull of kangaroos across Canberra's nature reserves will proceed.
The tribunal announced the cull of Eastern Grey Kangaroos in seven Canberra nature reserves will go ahead, but at a reduced scale.
The president of the tribunal told the packed hearing room in an ideal world there would be no need to kill any animal, but in this case the ACT Government was justified.
Over the last few years the Government has undertaken an annual cull to try to bring down the number of Eastern Grey Kangaroos in Canberra nature reserves.
The Government says reducing kangaroo numbers will prevent overgrazing which could endanger threatened animals and plants.
But last month the Australian Society for Kangaroos successfully sought a stay on this year's cull and for the past two days scientists from both sides have put their arguments to the tribunal.
But the activists did achieve one small concession, with the tribunal ruling that only 1,244 kangaroos could be killed this year and not the 1,455 the Government had planned to cull.
Director of ACT Parks and Conservation Daniel Iglesias has welcomed the tribunal's decision.
"This is the second time that ACAT has upheld this science in the last five years," he said.
"There is a significant volume of scientific evidence which demonstrates the impact that an over-abundant kangaroo population has on other flora and fauna, including several local studies and countless national
studies."
But Fiona Corke from the Australian Society for Kangaroos says her legal team will wait for the tribunal to publish its reasons before making any further decisions.
"We are disappointed the fact that the cull is going ahead," she said.
"But we're also encouraged that the tribunal actually recognised that the number of kangaroos to be culled should be and was reduced so that is an outcome."
The cull is set to begin on Thursday, with several nature reserves closed until August 1.
Mr Iglesias says the reserves were originally only to close during the evenings, but the reduced timeframe now means reserves will be closed 24 hours a day until the cull is completed.
"While shooting will not take place during daylight hours, it may take place at dusk or dawn," he said.
"Due to the reduction in the amount of time we now have to undertake the cull, it is highly unlikely we will achieve the quota."
Activists had previously vowed to disrupt the cull by placing themselves between the shooters and kangaroos, but Mr Iglesias has warned any protesters to respect the closure of the reserves.
"I would please ask any protesters to respect the closure and to respect the legal process and not do anything which could jeopardise their safety or that of our contractors," he said.
"Penalties of up to $5,500 apply under the Nature Conservation Act 1980 for trespassing."
The nature reserves closed for the cull are Callum Brae, Goorooyaroo, Kama, Mulanggari, Mt Painter, Mulligans Flat and Pinnacle.
Chris Hastir
