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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-10-15 Daily Xml
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DOG FENCE

The Hon. J.A. DARLEY (14:53): My question is to the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation regarding the dog fence. Can the minister advise the total length of the electrified sections of the dog fence with regard to the recent upgrade of 24 kilometres of the fence? Was this section converted to electric fencing or simply an upgrade of the wire netting fence? What progress has been made, if any, with respect to the remote monitoring of the electrified sections of the dog fence by radiotelemetry technology, which may alleviate the costly physical inspection by inspectors?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (14:54): I thank the honourable member for his most important questions. The dog fence is, of course, a very important barrier to protect our valuable sheep industry and plays a vital role in protecting our regional communities. The dog fence extends across South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland and covers approximately 5,400 kilometres with 2,178 kilometres, I am told, of this in South Australia. Over 600 kilometres of the dog fence in South Australia is electrified. This is more than 25 per cent of our range. By comparison, less than 5 per cent of Queensland's section of the dog fence is electrified, and none of the New South Wales dog fence is electrified, I am advised.

The dog fence is methodically inspected across our state every fortnight. Given the size of the fence, I am sure that honourable members will agree that this is quite an impressive effort. This shows that our government's commitment to the maintenance and upgrading of the dog fence to ensure it protects our regional communities into the future is maintained.

I might take a moment to advise the chamber about a recent meeting in Port Augusta that I was informed about. I am told that dingo numbers have increased across the rangeland south of the dog fence in recent years. In response to this, the South Australian Arid Lands Natural Resources Management Board has led a series of projects aimed at improving dingo control. In particular, the South Australian Arid Lands Natural Resources Management Board Biteback dingo control program has been highly successful, and I am pleased to advise that the program will now continue for a further three years following renewed funding of $286,500 from the South Australian Sheep Industry Fund.

I am advised that Biteback targets dingos inside the dog fence by coordinating and supporting 22 local wild dog planning groups south of the dog fence to tackle wild dogs across the landscape. Biteback has resulted in a substantial increase in landholder participation rates across the landscape. In fact, I am advised that since the introduction of Biteback there has been a fourfold increase in the number of properties participating in ground baiting. There have also been improvements in the participation of landholders in aerial baiting.

Biosecurity SA led the delivery of a dingo aerial baiting program in the South Australian Arid Lands NRM region from 29 April to 7 May of this year involving 88 pastoral landholders. The program delivered, I am told, 44,200 baits over an 8,600-kilometre flight path across the rangeland south of the dog fence. I am advised that feedback from landholders in the pastoral regions affected by dingos has been positive, highlighting that the first three years of Biteback have improved landholder understanding of dingo control and provided additional management tools.

Three regional workshops at Olary, Blinman and Glendambo were held during the middle of last year to evaluate the aerial baiting trial. I am pleased to advise that participants were universally supportive of the program. Biosecurity SA, in collaboration with the Department of Health and DEWNR, provides oversight and implements statewide protocols for the safe preparation, use and storage of bait. Landholders must comply with these protocols. I am advised that the bait injection service provided to landholders twice a year has been boosted by the installation of 14 freezers to help ensure a continuous supply of baits to landholders year round.

I am advised that recent upgrades to the dog fence have been undertaken and these works have included 28 kilometres of new fence line being recently constructed at Parakylia and Mundowdna in the state's north. This will ensure that our dog fence continues to protect our regional communities and the sheep industry south of the fence from dingos.

I am also told that the National Wild Dog Action Plan has been drafted and public consultation is currently underway. I am advised that the South Australian Arid Lands NRM Board, in conjunction with Biosecurity SA, convened a wild dog forum in Port Augusta on 1 October. The forum was an opportunity for stakeholders to provide advice on South Australian priorities and appropriate governance for implementing the national plan in South Australia.

In addition to this, the SA Sheep Advisory Group also held a meeting on wild dogs on 10 October in Port Augusta. Representatives from the South Australian Arid Lands NRM Board and the government attended this meeting. I am advised that the discussions held at the meetings were productive and positive. The Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources is currently preparing advice for me on the outcomes of these two meetings, and I look forward to considering that advice shortly.

Following these meetings, a state wild dog advisory group will now be established to develop an appropriate process for putting the national plan into action in South Australia. In addition to this, the government is currently working on a long-term strategy for dingo management. Biosecurity SA is leading the development of a state dingo management strategy which, I am advised, is planned to go out for public consultation later this year.

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