The Game and Feral Animal Control Regulation 2022 is now in force.
The DPI Hunting website has been updated with the new rules and you can download a summary table that compares the 2012 Regulation with the 2022 Regulation.
https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/1423910/comparison-table-gfac2012-v-gfac2022.pdf"What's changed?
Licence applications
Section 21(3(d) of the Act allows for the regulation to prescribe other circumstances for which the Regulatory Authority must refuse the granting of a game hunting licence. These specific offences have been articulated in section 16 of the Regulation 2022 – grounds for refusal of a licence. These are in addition to the general nature of offences described as grounds for refusal in section 21(3)(a) of the Act (including offences involving cruelty or harm to animals, personal violence, damage to property, or unlawful entry into land).
A section relating to suspending or cancelling game hunting licences was created to ensure appropriate oversight of game hunting licence holders during the term of their licence, including a fit and proper person provision.
Native game bird management
The maximum term of a Native Game Bird Management (Owner/Occupier) Licence has been reduced to one year. This allows licensing and species allocation to occur simultaneously and will reduce red tape for agricultural landholders needing help to manage native game bird species.
General hunting requirements
The requirements for R-Licence hunters to submit a harvest return within 30 days of hunting on public land as well as the prohibitions on hunting from a motor vehicle and using attractants are now part of the Regulation, instead of written permission conditions.
Where a hunter requires supervision for public land hunting, both the hunter and supervisor are required to hold written permission issued by NSW DPI.
Motorised wheelchairs, used by a person who has a disability that prevents them from hunting on foot, are now exempt from the motor vehicle definition. This allows motorised wheelchairs to be used. The clause now covers the entire public hunting area, rather than just on or across a road.
Clauses relating to deer hunting, that are unnecessary now that no licence is required to hunt deer on private land, have been removed. This includes the prohibition on using electronic devices to target deer. Electronic devices may now be used while hunting any species on public land, however, hunting using firearms or bows is restricted to daylight hours in the written permission conditions.
The clauses relating to the use of dogs while hunting have been combined and simplified, and the requirements for identification as set out in the Companion Animals Act 1998 (e.g. microchipping) have been included. A redundant clause relating to use of dogs in field trials has been removed. Please note, this does not limit the use of dogs in field trials, which remains a legal activity.
The offence relating to the recording of appropriate details by a taxidermist has not changed; however, it can now be dealt with via a Penalty Infringement Notice, whereas this previously had to be prosecuted in court. This offence only applies to native and non-indigenous game birds.
Code of practice
The Hunter’s Code of Practice will be a standalone Code and has been removed from the Regulation 2022. The nature, intent and legislative duties placed on hunters through the Hunter’s Code of Practice have not changed. Only minor revisions have been made to ensure the code satisfies the current regulatory environment and meets modern drafting standards. The code continues to be a mandatory and enforceable condition of all game hunting licences.
Public consultation on the revised code was open for 30 days between Wednesday 27 July and Friday 26 August."