Kangaroo Management

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (20:07): I move:

That this council—

1. Recognises that:

(a) from 2022-2023, Red Kangaroo population estimates in South Australia rose 24 per cent to 2.019 million—33 per cent above the 20-year rolling average;

(b) it is approximated that there are over 40 million kangaroos in Australia and, without adequate, sustainable harvest measures in place, kangaroo numbers can grow to unsustainable levels as changes to the Australian landscape since European settlement have provided conditions which facilitate population booms;

(c) excessive kangaroo populations can negatively impact habitat structure, environmental rehabilitation efforts and native ecosystems, while also detrimentally affecting our national agricultural industry;

(d) the animals themselves are placed at greater risk as kangaroo populations can outgrow their food sources, causing many to starve to death;

(e) kangaroo and wallaby commercial management is highly regulated and a sustainable industry, with harvests playing a critical role in kangaroo management in South Australia;

(f) commercial management supports an industry worth around $200 million annually, including sales for kangaroo meat and the manufacture of high-quality products; and

(g) a regulated and evidence-based approach to commercial harvesting benefits the:

(i) environment;

(ii) economy;

(iii) agricultural sector; and

(iv) the long-term welfare of kangaroos and wallabies.

2. Notes:

(a) the introduction of the misleadingly named Kangaroo Protection Bill 2024 in the United States Senate; and

(b) that this bill would, if enacted, have negative environmental, economic and kangaroo welfare outcomes in South Australia.

3. Calls on the government to:

(a) recognise that the Kangaroo Protection Bill 2024 before the United States Senate will negatively impact on the South Australian export economy;

(b) urge the federal government to formally encourage the United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works to reject the bill; and

(c) promote and advocate our kangaroo export industry, particularly in the United States.

I quote:

Australia's kangaroo industry leads to better kangaroo welfare, more stable populations and improved conservation outcomes.

These are not my words, they are from an article written by experts George Wilson, Honorary Professor, Australian National University; and John Read, Associate Lecturer, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Adelaide, in response to a previous bill brought before the US Congress that would have seen a nationwide ban in that country for all kangaroo meat and manufactured products in 2021.

The proponents of that bill, a group called Kangaroos Are Not Shoes, in the United States would have you believe the exact opposite. As I will outline, the evidence simply does not stack up when compared with the extensive body of work that has been produced by government organisations and industry within Australia and particularly South Australia.

Since European settlement, much of regional South Australia has become more hospitable to kangaroos, thanks to improved access to water, more reliable food sources and the eradication of predators. During times of abundance, kangaroo populations surge, leading to large mobs that can cause significant environmental damage. However, during droughts these same populations face catastrophic losses.

This stark contrast underscores the urgent need for a comprehensive outcome-driven approach to kangaroo population management and welfare. I will keep it brief but, when it comes to welfare, the contrast is striking between an animal being swiftly euthanised from a high-powered rifle and the prolonged agonising death from starvation or dehydration that millions of kangaroos endure during drought conditions. I have witnessed kangaroos so debilitated that they cannot flee from danger, let alone search for food and water. Without proper population control, those suffering conditions will only worsen.

One example of this is through the drought conditions that occurred in New South Wales in 2020, when the kangaroo population was estimated to have crashed by 25 per cent from 14 million in 2019 to 10.5 million—a shocking case of suffering for so many kangaroos that grew to unsustainable numbers in better conditions.

This motion addresses the problematic US Senate bill, known as the Kangaroo Protection Bill, which seeks to ban the importation of kangaroo products into the United States, including items like soccer boots and clothing, such as the shoes and belts worn by many South Australians. Even if this bill passes, it will not eliminate the need for responsible kangaroo population management here in South Australia. In fact, it would threaten a well-regulated kangaroo management system that has conservation and animal welfare as its guiding principles.

Since 1978, South Australia has maintained a strict framework for commercial kangaroo harvesting. Harvesting provides a sustainable, humane approach to managing kangaroo populations whilst ensuring that neither the meat nor the skins are wasted. This industry contributes millions of dollars to the Australian economy and offers a practical solution to the management of kangaroo numbers. Importantly, this industry does not lead to a decline in kangaroo populations.

While kangaroo numbers naturally fluctuate in boom-and-bust cycles, the regulated harvesting system helps stabilise these fluctuations. The government regularly conducts population surveys using aerial and ground methods, or predictive models based on long-term data. These estimates inform the commercial quotas which are determined as a percentage of the estimated population size for each species. A quota report is prepared annually.

To guide the ecologically sustainable management of commercially harvested kangaroos in South Australia, the Department for Environment and Water developed the South Australian Commercial Kangaroo Management Plan 2020-2024 in consultation with conservation and animal welfare groups, land managers, regulatory and peak bodies, the kangaroo industry and the community. Consultation has just finished on the 2025-2029 draft management plan, and feedback from this consultation will inform development of that final management plan.

The quotas are set carefully, typically at 10 to 20 per cent of the estimated population, depending on the species; however, the actual harvest is consistently well below this threshold. For example, in 2020 only 19 per cent of the allowable harvest was taken and in 2002 just 32 per cent of the quota was used. That is one of the highest percentages in these last two decades. These figures remain far below scientifically determined limits that ensure the long-term sustainability of kangaroo populations. Quotas are also adjusted in response to seasonal conditions.

South Australia exports kangaroo meat to over 60 countries, including the United States, along with other kangaroo products, such as belts and boots, which would be affected by the proposed bill. The bill unfairly demonises this sustainable, economically and environmentally significant industry. Ultimately, no-one stands to gain from this legislation. Therefore, it is a sensible step for this parliament and the government to act in defence of the industry, support regional communities and the agricultural sector, and safeguard the welfare and sustainability of kangaroo populations.

Much of the justification for the measures in this bill comes from animal welfare advocates in the United States who ignore the real situation on the ground here and that work undertaken by industry experts, farmers and environmental organisations. While the bill introduced in 2021 did not proceed, the state legislature in Oregon considered a similar bill, and both these actions were enough for Nike and Puma to discontinue the use of kangaroo skins in their football boots, instead moving to synthetic materials. A strong message of support for the kangaroo industry is required regardless of the outcome of the current senate bill.

This motion addresses several key issues, all of which are substantiated by government documents, real-world experience, insights from ecologists and researchers, as well as perspectives from Indigenous and other community and industry leaders—and perhaps, most importantly, the practical realities on the ground. I urge all members to support this motion.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. I.K. Hunter.