KAP‘s rogue crocs Bill
City seen as base for reptile management authority
CAIRNS would be the headquarters of the Queensland Crocodile Authority under proposed changes to the state’s crocodile management laws.
Katter’s Australian Party yesterday tabled draft legislation, its Safer Waterways Bill, making it mandatory for “rogue” crocodiles to be removed from populated waterways.
The party has defined rogue crocodiles as animals that pose a threat to human safety, including the predators lurking in urban areas and outback swimming holes.
Rogue crocodiles may be killed by an authorised person or relocated to a crocodile farm.
The reptiles cannot be relocated to another waterway, to eliminate the risk of them attacking people.
The Bill would also create a crocodile authority, to be based in Cairns, which would be tasked with issuing permits for legal crocodile egg harvesting in Queensland and to landholders to manage crocodiles on their own land.
Dalrymple MP Shane Knuth said the Bill empowered indigenous and other landholders to manage crocodiles on their properties.
“Crocodiles can be a great asset for Queensland and this Bill sets up a way to create a thriving industry for Queensland’s economy,” he said.
“Egg harvesting already exists in the Northern Territory and has shown that it doesn’t wipe out the croc population.
“Instead it boosts the economy.
“The Bill also ensures that any crocs that are killed by the authority are not wasted.
“As much of the carcass must be used as possible, whether that be selling teeth, meat and skins or using unsaleable parts of the croc to make blood and bone.”
The Bill has been referred to the Agriculture and Environment Committee.
KAP hosted several community forums across the Far North to guide its draft legislation. The latest forum in Cairns last week showed there was much opposition within the community to a crocodile cull, particularly by the local tourism industry.
David White, the Daintree based operator of Solar Whisper Wildlife Cruises, said he was surprised the Bill had finally been drafted but doubted it would become a reality.