[Greens-Media] Tas Greens_Tasmania's Biosecurity Still At Risk - Four Years After First Warning_T Morris MP

[greens at parliament.tas.gov.au]

FOXES, THIS WAY PLEASE

Four Years Later The Front Gate is Still Open

Tim Morris MP
Greens Shadow Infrastructure Spokesperson

Friday, 10 October 2008
Contact: State Parliamentary Offices of the Tasmanian Greens, (03) 6233
8300

www.tas.greens.org.au


The Tasmanian Greens today revealed that after a number of years and the
expenditure of millions of dollars on fox control and eradication, the
Tasmanian Government has still failed to take any action to block up
massive gaps in fences and under gates around the Burnie Wharf, the most
likely fox entrance point to Tasmania, despite being warned of the
problem by the Tasmanian Greens in 2004.[1]

Greens Shadow Infrastructure spokesperson Tim Morris MP said that the
Government has clearly failed to undertake a proper risk assessment at
the Burnie Wharf despite the fact that this area was the entry point for
the only fox ever confirmed to have arrived in Tasmania.

"The Government has failed to allocate the few thousands of dollars
needed to ensure that foxes cannot just walk off a ship at the Burnie
Wharf and then disappear under a fence or through holey gates, even
after being advised years ago about this gaping hole in Tasmania's
bio-security," Mr Morris said

"What is the point of putting baits all over the countryside to try to
catch foxes that have escaped when no effort is being made to minimise
the risk of a fox slipping into Tasmania unseen through the Burnie
Wharf?" 

"I am well aware that the Burnie Wharf cannot be closed totally all the
time, but the fences and gates should have been made fox-proof four
years ago, and any remaining openings should have had closed circuit
video installed for monitoring purposes," Mr Morris concluded.

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[1] "Greens Expose Fox Threat: As Burnie Container Depot Leaves Door
Wide Open," Tasmanian Greens Media Release, 17th November 2004:
http://tas.greens.org.au/News/view_MR.php?ActionID=332




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