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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2025-06-05 Daily Xml
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Wild Dog Management

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (15:12): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking questions of the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development on the subject of wild dogs.

Leave granted.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: In March this year, Livestock SA published concerns regarding—

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Attorney!

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: Chuck him out, Mr President—after he tables the budget papers. In March this year, Livestock SA published concerns regarding the continued impact of wild dog protections in western Victoria, and the incursion of wild dogs into South Australia, primarily through the Ngarkat Conservation Park. Livestock SA members are telling them that wild dog and fox attacks and flock chases have increased due to the Victorian policy and due to ongoing dry conditions across southern and eastern Australia.

There have been and will continue to be attacks on livestock and on farm dogs, and there is certainly potential for attacks on other animals into the future. My questions to the Minister for Primary Industries are:

1. When was the last time the minister or her office received a briefing from the Cross Border Commissioner on any work regarding wild dog incursions into South Australia through the Ngarkat Conservation Park or similar wildlife corridors?

2. Does the minister share the concerns of Livestock SA and their membership regarding the increase in incursions of wild dogs and their impact?

3. What is the minister doing to advocate for appropriate policy with our Victorian neighbours—her colleagues—to stop these dreadful wild dog attacks?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (15:14): I thank the honourable member for her question. I discussed this matter with the Cross Border Commissioner last week. It's always good to catch up with Ms Saffin, who I think is doing an excellent job as the Cross Border Commissioner. She has also, as indeed have I, been involved in many discussions with farmers who are affected by the change of policy in western Victoria.

I have advocated very strongly and indicated to the counterparts in Victoria that we have a very different view on the treatment of wild dogs. Obviously, our investment in the dog fence has been a huge investment and has enabled the appropriate recognition of the cultural importance of dingoes whilst still enabling much better management of wild dogs to be able to open up more areas to agriculture and to livestock, and that has been a very significant step forward in terms of some of those pastoral areas.

I had a meeting with the Victorian minister for agriculture as well as with the Victorian minister for the environment and was able to put South Australia's view very strongly, in addition to various correspondence that I have sent. It is fair to say that we have not been able to reach a position of agreement. My department has been working closely with industry, as well as attempting to work with the Victorian government at an officer level, around ways to improve the situation. Certainly, on the South Australian side of the border, we have increased resources to be able to assist with reducing the number of wild dogs.

I think there are a number of aspects around this that are particularly concerning. There is the economic impact of wild dogs, and that is significant in a time of drought that is perhaps felt even more than it would be at other times, but there is also the emotional impact when farmers go out and find, for example, newborn lambs that have been attacked by wild dogs, or ewes that have been attacked. It's actually quite distressing on an emotional level as well. So I will continue to advocate for what I consider to be a better approach to wild dog management, in concert with the various industry bodies and farmers.

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