[Greens-Media] Media Release: Hunting free-for-all in State Forests

[David Shoebridge MLC]

*Media Release: Hunting free-for-all in State Forests *



Amateur hunting is occurring in more than 1.75 million hectares of State
Forests with almost no one employed to check for public safety.  In answers
provided to the Greens in Parliament, the NSW Game Council confirmed that
it employs only 4.2 full time equivalent staff to police the hunting in
State Forests.


See SMH article:
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/recreational-hunting-in-national-parks-under-fire-after-joey-shot-by-stray-arrow-20120805-23o0q.html


Greens MP and Forestry Spokesperson, David Shoebridge said:



“Over the last decade more than 1.75 million hectares of public forests
have been opened up for amateur hunting, but less than 5 people are being
employed to ensure that hunting is safe.



 “Many public forests will never see a Game Council inspector and hunters
are subject to licence conditions that are hardly worth the paper they are
written on.



“On these figures each inspector is responsible for more than 400,000
hectares of State Forest.



“This is an impossible task for inspectors and means that, in truth, there
is no one out there watching the hunters that roam our State Forests.



“If it wasn’t a real public safety issue, it would be laughable that the
Game Council has less than five full time positions to keep an eye on more
than 15,000 licensed hunters in 1.75 million hectares of State Forests.



“The NSW Government is about to expand amateur hunting from State Forests
to National Parks where it is almost certain that the same kind of hunting
free-for-all will develop.



“With both the Game Council and the O’Farrell government in bed with the
Shooters Party, there has been no attention paid to policing hunting in
State Forests.



“Heaven help us when the hunting expands into National Parks.



“The Greens continue to call for the dangerous practice of amateur hunting
on public lands to be halted, so that our State Forests and National Parks
can return to being safe, friendly and beautiful reserves open to
everyone,” Mr Shoebridge said.


*Media Contact: 0408 113 952 *


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David Shoebridge

Greens MP in the NSW Legislative Council

P: (02) 0408 113 952|Media: 0433 753 376|T:
@ShoebridgeMLC<http://twitter.com/#%21/shoebridgemlc>

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