Caution on deer plan

Feral cat opportunity missed, party says

THE Government’s new wild deer control strategy will only be successful if the body formed to monitor it is truly independent, the political party representing shooters, fishers and farmers says.

The Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party of Tasmania “cautiously welcomed” the Government’s Game Management Policy Plan, released this week.

But it says Primary Industries Minister Jeremy Rockliff has missed an opportunity to manage feral cats as well.

Chairman Wayne Turale said the party had recommended responsibility for wild deer control be taken away from the Parks and Wildlife Service and a new Tasmanian game council be established.

“However, SFFP would prefer this included a vigorous feral cat eradication program to commence immediately,’ Mr Turale said.

Conversationalists say the State Government’s response to Tasmania’s wild deer problem does not do enough to protect our wilderness areas and it was concerning that the new council would “mix deer control with killing of native species such as wallabies, poss- ums, cockatoos, and native hens”.

The Bob Brown Foundation labelled the policy “long on talk but short on action”.

“The deer have spread right along the Great Western Tiers and across much of the Central Plateau section of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area,” Bob Brown said.

“Areas like the Tarkine, Cradle Mountain and Walls of Jerusalem face invasion while the Government fiddles around.”

Dr Brown said his foundation had warned that the rapid spread of fallow deer into Tasmania’s conservation areas required urgent action.

“Otherwise it will cost billions of dollars to remedy in the future,” he said.

A UTAS study released last year warned deer numbers could climb to a million by 2050 under the current regimen.

Mr Rockliff announced on Tuesday that a census, expected to take three years, would begin in the new year to get a clearer picture of the Tasmanian wild deer population.

It will also look at how many wild deer are in Tasmania’s protected wilderness areas.