Environmental contribution of recreational hunting WA

[MeccaOz]

http://echonewspaper.com.au/newsDetail-cid-1548.htm

A STATE Parliament committee looking into the potential environmental contribution of recreational hunting systems will hold its first public hearings on Wednesday.
The Standing Committee on Public Administration, chaired by North Metropolitan MLC Liz Behjat, will take evidence from the departments of Lands, Parks and Wildlife and Agriculture and Food as well as Western Australia Police.
The hearings, which will be open to the general public, will be held at the Legislative Council Committee Office, Ground floor, 18-32 Parliament Place, West Perth.
The committee received more than 400 submissions, all of which are available online at www.parliament.wa.gov.au/pub
As well as submissions from the departments of Lands, Parks and Wildlife and Agriculture and Food as well as Western Australia Police submissions were received from the Shooters Union WA, the South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council, WA Firearm Traders Association, the RSPCA, Perth Bushwalkers Club, Outdoors WA and the The West Australian Field and Game Association.
The Chidlow Marsupial Hospital, professional shooter Steve Pass, the Sporting Shooters Association of Australia WA, the Bibbulmun Track Foundation and the Australian Deer Association WA Branch also made submissions.
Ms Behjat said the committee was pleased there was so much interest in the inquiry.
‘We are going to start by speaking to the government departments that would be administering any such hunting system,’’ she said.
‘It is the committee’s intention to hold further public hearings with other interested parties.’’
The Legislative Council on November 27 last year referred the inquiry to the committee, which includes East Metropolitan MLC Amber-Jade Sanderson.
The inquiry’s terms of reference include that the Legislative Council acknowledges the use in other states of regulated, licensed recreational hunting systems and the potential environmental contribution made in controlling pest animals on public lands, together with the possible economic, cultural and recreational benefits to the community.
The committee will inquire into the benefits or otherwise of a similar system being adopted in WA and report back to the House by December 4 this year.
Agricultural MLC and Shooters and Fishers Party member Rick Mazza was co-opted to the committee.
Inquiries to clerk Lauren Mesiti on 9222 7376 or lcpac@parliament.wa.gov.au

[on_one_wheel]

I have no idea how they could ever calculate how much impact us recreational hunters make.... I have never been asked how many rabbits, goats, pigs, foxes, cats I shoot per month / year.

I noticed on the RSPCA website, they seem to think that we have no or very little impact but have given no answers to the feral pest problem. I wont be making any donations that way unless they change their stance on feral pest hunting.

Until someone bothers to introduce a register of some kind to count how many pests are destroyed and where, they will never know.

[MeccaOz]

I have no idea how they could ever calculate how much impact us recreational hunters make.... I have never been asked how many rabbits, goats, pigs, foxes, cats I shoot per month / year.

I noticed on the RSPCA website, they seem to think that we have no or very little impact but have given no answers to the feral pest problem. I wont be making any donations that way unless they change their stance on feral pest hunting.

Until someone bothers to introduce a register of some kind to count how many pests are destroyed and where, they will never know.

Little or nop impact ??? They obviously havent been to a red card event !

[Vati]

I have no idea how they could ever calculate how much impact us recreational hunters make.... I have never been asked how many rabbits, goats, pigs, foxes, cats I shoot per month / year.

I think they look out the window and write down the first number that comes to mind.

[Norton]

"We are going to start by speaking to the government departments that would be administering any such hunting system"

How about you speak to the hunters that are doing to work?

What's speaking to some pencil pusher behind a desk going to tell you.

[wrenchman]

There was news on one of my outdoor shows that said your country is investing in hunting tourism they are hopeing to bring in some money to spread around.

[Shotfox]

There was news on one of my outdoor shows that said your country is investing in hunting tourism they are hopeing to bring in some money to spread around.

There is a small hunting tourism industry aimed at the tourist $. The Northern Territoy has shooting pigs out of a Helicopter and other related 'drop you off and pick you up "type of hunting expeditions. These are very very expensive and are generally out of reach for the average Aussie that wants to go for a shoot. However if you get along well with the locals and with their knowledge you can get to spots which are abundant in ferral animals to shoot at much less cost. But if you are here on a holiday schedule then this is where this industry makes its bucks.

[Arth]

There was news on one of my outdoor shows that said your country is investing in hunting tourism they are hopeing to bring in some money to spread around.

It's real expensive here.

I had a look at it ages ago. Worked out cheaper to go to New Zealand and get an international holiday out of it as well.

[VICHunter]

Same as skiing here. I have a few mates who are really into it and they tell me they can pay a fortune for s**t skiing here in Aus (with no guarantee of snow), or fly and stay in New Zealand and be guaranteed an awesome time.

[AusC]

Good thing hunting is free

I'll stick to that.