Motions

Kangaroo Management

Adjourned debate on motion of Hon. N.J. Centofanti:

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.

(Continued from 27 November 2024.)

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (17:00): I will make this one brief as well. The Greens will not be supporting this motion; I imagine it will come as no surprise to the mover. We also note that it should be waiting for the Natural Resources Committee, which is imminently about to commence an inquiry into the commercial kangaroo management of this state. Certainly, while it may be of the opposition's mind that we should be telling foreign jurisdictions what pieces of legislation they should pass or reject, I should imagine that the Greens in the United States would have a similar position that indeed all policy positions should be science based. I would hope that in the future our kangaroo harvesting will encompass better scientific rigour.

I note as well the important work done in New South Wales into this issue, which exposed the lies of this industry, which exposed the dodgy, rubbery figures that are used to justify kangaroo harvests or culling for commercial purposes. Where the dollar speaks, often science and integrity loses out. If people who are consumers are voting with their feet and literally with their soccer boots by boycotting kangaroo products on the basis of cruelty, then who are we to stand in the way of that freedom of choice. I would have thought a party that believed in consumer choice would have understood that. With that, I look forward to the Natural Resources Committee inquiry into this very important issue.

The Hon. T.T. NGO (17:02): I rise to speak on the Hon. Nicola Centofanti's motion on behalf of the government. This motion correctly notes that the red kangaroo population grew by 33 per cent from 2022 to 2023, reaching 2.019 million kangaroos. In 2024, this population further increased to 2.97 million kangaroos. According to the federal government's Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, there were 35.3 million kangaroos in the combined surveyed areas of New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, WA and South Australia.

The 2024 kangaroo population estimate in South Australia is 5.2 million kangaroos, marking a 33 per cent increase from the 2023 population estimate of around 3.9 million. Kangaroo numbers south of the dog fence have increased due to the changes in land management, including the exclusion of dingos, the establishment of additional water points and the expansion of pasture. Some honourable members may not know where the dog fence is, but the dog fence starts in Queensland near the Darling Downs region, running through New South Wales near Broken Hill and ending in South Australia near Eyre Peninsula.

When kangaroo populations increase they can become overabundant, causing adverse impacts on South Australia's ecosystems, human activities, and public safety due to increased traffic accidents, and on the welfare of individual animals, in particular during times with dry weather conditions. To mitigate these impacts, it is important for landholders to proactively manage kangaroo populations on their land, and the commercial kangaroo harvest provides a tool for landholders to manage kangaroos effectively on their properties.

Aerial surveys of kangaroo populations in South Australia have been conducted annually since 1978. These regular surveys are used to inform the quota for commercial harvesting. Kangaroos are protected by the National Parks and Wildlife Act, and the commercial harvesting of kangaroos must be done by accredited kangaroo field processors. The techniques used must be compliant with the National Code of Practice for the Humane Shooting of Kangaroos and Wallabies for Commercial Purposes.

The commercial quota for the kangaroo harvest is set at 10 per cent to 20 per cent of the estimated population size, depending on the species and based on a conservative population estimate. This ensures a sustainable measurement of kangaroos in South Australia and balances conservation, economic and animal welfare factors. However, it should be noted that while the quota is set to be sustainable, the decision regarding how much of the quota will be taken is still a commercial one.

The harvest rate across the state normally sits at approximately 15 per cent to 20 per cent of the total quota. It is not quite 100 per cent, there is roughly 80 per cent less there. The South Australian Commercial Kangaroo Management Plan details how the department will ensure that the harvest remains sustainable. To ensure that the best science is used, the management plan is reviewed every five years.

The South Australian Commercial Kangaroo Management Plan 2025-2029 went through two public consultation periods, the first involving the national parks and wildlife approval process in June to September 2024, and the second being a 20-business-day consultation under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act between 16 October and 14 November 2024. The department reviewed feedback from both, and made minor changes to the plan, which was then approved by the SA Minister for Climate, Environment and Water on 9 December 2024 and the Australian government Minister for the Environment and Water on 18 December 2024.

In recent years, the value of kangaroo meat exports to the US has fluctuated from a peak of $1.1 million in 2021 down to $13,000 in 2023. Between 2021 and 2023 the US export market made up about 4 per cent of Australia's kangaroo meat export market value. As members can see, it is a very small amount.

Our kangaroo products, primarily meat and leather, go to 60 international markets, including several Asian countries as well as throughout the European Union. The Australian Wild Game Industry Council also advocates for the industry to overseas governments and markets.

The industry supports approximately 3,000 jobs, with kangaroo leather being highly valued for its strength and lightness. Australia's kangaroo exports come with the added benefits of reducing agriculture damage and also lowering the number of road accidents involving kangaroos on regional roads. On that note, I thank the honourable member for bringing this motion to the chamber.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (17:09): I thank honourable members for their contributions—the Hon. Tammy Franks and the Hon. Tung Ngo—and I appreciate the government's support for this motion. South Australia's kangaroo export industry plays a crucial role in ensuring the sustainability of kangaroo populations, and the South Australian industry operates within a strict regulatory framework that helps to manage kangaroo populations responsibly preventing overpopulation and its associated environmental risks.

By unfairly targeting this sustainable and economically significant sector, the US Senate Kangaroo Protection Bill threatens not only regional communities and the agricultural industry but also the long-term welfare and balance of kangaroo populations. It is therefore essential that the parliament and the government send a strong message to the US that we oppose the Kangaroo Protection Bill, and that we support our industry, uphold responsible wildlife management and ensure the continued sustainability of kangaroo populations. With that, I commend the motion to the chamber.

Motion carried.