Wild Dog Strategic Plan

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:40): Supplementary: if it is the federal government's—

The Hon. J.M.A. Lensink interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The Leader of the Opposition has the floor.

The Hon. J.M.A. Lensink: You're so predictable! I could give your answers.

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: But you would give a much better answer. If it is the federal government's fault, can the minister explain how Western Australia has 13 doggers, Queensland has eight and we don't have any?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Climate Change) (14:40): I did explain in my answer—and the honourable member obviously doesn't listen to the answers—the South Australian government and the SAAL NRM Board believe that the best solution for wild dogs in the region is a long-term strategic approach that requires all stakeholders to work together. That is the high-level response—

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: That is what we are involved in as a government and as an NRM board to fund. When the funds were available through the federal government, they utilised them to employ a dogger. But, the SAAL board, the people who advise me, tell me that is a secondary importance; the most important thing is to have a coordinated, land-scale style strategy that lasts over a period of time and involves landowners working together. That is the most important approach.

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: Of course I act on the advice of the SAAL board, and my advisers, because they are the experts in the field and not the Hon. Mr Ridgway.