Feral Animals

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:31): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development about feral animals.

Leave granted.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: Research conducted by Professor Michael Ward, Chair of the University of Sydney School of Veterinary Public Health, suggests that in regions of a high concentration of feral pigs it is likely that foot-and-mouth disease would get into the pests and set up an ongoing transmission cycle with cattle, with the virus going back and forth between the two species.

On 29 July this year, the ABC reported that hunters and shooters say that they could help to cull feral animal populations and reduce the risk of foot-and-mouth disease. My questions to the minister are:

1. Does the minister support a national cull of feral pigs, goats and deer?

2. Has the minister received any offers from hunters or sporting shooters to help with the cull of feral pigs, goats and deer to reduce the risk of foot-and-mouth disease, or other emergency animal diseases spreading in Australia, if an outbreak occurs?

3. Has the minister requested or received advice from her department on a cull of feral animals to benefit control efforts against emergency animal diseases?

4. Has the minister proposed or discussed the benefits of a national coordinated approach to culling feral animals like pigs, goats and deer with her federal, state and territory colleagues?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:33): I thank the honourable member for her question. It is true that some feral animals, including feral pigs, are susceptible to foot-and-mouth disease. It is not possible to eradicate feral animals across Australia. However, the AUSVETPLAN Wild Animal Response Strategy outlines procedures to manage wild animals in the event of an animal disease outbreak, such as FMD.

Livestock producers should put measures in place where possible to prevent feral animals from coming into contact with their stock. This could include making sure boundary fences are in good order and developing a feral animal control program. South Australia has control programs for two feral animal species that can be susceptible to foot-and-mouth disease, namely, feral pigs and feral deer.