Feral animals in crosshairs at Highfields summit

Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister John McVeigh will today host the first Feral Animal Summit at Highfields near Toowoomba in a bid to build a stronger, unified attack on pest animals which are estimated to cost Queensland more than $700 million every year.

Mr McVeigh said feral animals were a blight on the landscape - preying on native animals, competing for food, shelter and habitat, degrading habitats, ecosystems, soil and water quality and causing further problems through hybridisation such as wild dogs breeding dingoes.

“They have a huge impact on our farms causing production losses of around $215 million every year,” Mr McVeigh said.

Mr McVeigh said the summit would discuss key issues including preventing potential new pests and importantly how we can get best-practice information out to land managers.

He said significant wet seasons, particularly around coastal and southern Queensland, had produced ideal conditions for many feral mammals with big increases in feral pigs, wild dogs, and feral deer, and twice in recent years (2009 and 2011) areas of the state had suffered mice plagues.

“Effective control of feral animals requires an integrated and collaborative approach between landholders, local and state government, together with support and commitment from interest groups and the general public.”

Also at the summit Mr McVeigh will formally announce the newly created Invasive Plants and Animals Committee.

The committee, to meet at least twice a year, comprises representatives from industry bodies and state and local government, including: Ivan Naggs (Chair), AgForce; Rachel Mackenzie, Queensland Farmers Federation; Chris Love, The Weed Society of Queensland; Andrew Drysdale, Queensland Regional Natural Resource Management Groups Collective; and representatives from the Local Government Association of Queensland, the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

“The committee will provide independent and strategic advice on a broad range of invasive plant and animal issues to the Biosecurity Queensland Ministerial Advisory Council,” he said.  

“This is the start of a new approach requiring ongoing involvement by the community, industry and government.

“Recommendations that come out of the Feral Animal Summit will help guide future discussions by this new committee.”

[ENDS] 27 June 2013

Media Contact: Louise Gillis 0408 709 160