People and the Kangaroo Harvest in the South Australian Rangelands Social and Institutional Considerations for Kangaroo Management and the Kangaroo Industry
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People and the Kangaroo Harvest in the South Australian Rangelands Social and institutional considerations for kangaroo management and the kangaroo industry A report for the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation by Dana Thomsen and Jocelyn Davies February 2007 RIRDC Publication No 07/039 RIRDC Project No UA-59A © 2007 Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation. All rights reserved. ISBN 1 74151 437 1 ISSN 1440-6845 People and kangaroo harvest in South Australian rangelands Publication No. 07/039 Project No. UA-59A The information contained in this publication is intended for general use to assist public knowledge and discussion and to help improve the development of sustainable industries. The information should not be relied upon for the purpose of a particular matter. Specialist and/or appropriate legal advice should be obtained before any action or decision is taken on the basis of any material in this document. The Commonwealth of Australia, Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation, the authors or contributors do not assume liability of any kind whatsoever resulting from any person's use or reliance upon the content of this document. The views represented in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of RIRDC. This publication is copyright. However, RIRDC encourages wide dissemination of its research, providing the Corporation is clearly acknowledged. For any other enquiries concerning reproduction, contact the Publications Manager on phone 02 6272 3186. Researcher Contact Details Dana Thomsen Jocelyn Davies Roseworthy Campus, The University of Adelaide CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems Roseworthy SA 5371 PO Box 2111 Alice Springs NT 0871 Phone: 08 8303 7738 Fax: 08 8303 7979 Phone: 08 8950 7152 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] In submitting this report, the researcher has agreed to RIRDC publishing this material in its edited form. RIRDC Contact Details Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation Level 2, 15 National Circuit BARTON ACT 2600 PO Box 4776 KINGSTON ACT 2604 Phone: 02 6272 4819 Fax: 02 6272 5877 Email: [email protected]. Web: http://www.rirdc.gov.au Published in February 2007 Printed on environmentally friendly paper by Canprint ii Foreword The commercial harvest of kangaroos is important to the sustainability of Australia’s rangeland landscapes. It assists in the reduction of total grazing pressure in the rangelands, has potential to deliver supplementary income to pastoralists and makes important contributions to the social and economic sustainability of rangeland communities. The purpose of this research was to develop understanding of the social, institutional and cultural factors that influence the use of commercial kangaroo harvesting as a strategy for promoting sustainable rangeland landscapes. In-depth information gathered through interviews with industry stakeholders in South Australia has highlighted issues which are important to designing effective institutions for management of commercial harvest which are not revealed in any other research on kangaroo management or industry development. This project was funded from RIRDC Core Funds which are provided by the Australian Government. This report, an addition to RIRDC’s diverse range of over 1600 research publications, forms part of our Rangeland and Wildlife Systems R&D program, which aims to facilitate a more diverse rural sector, enhanced biodiversity and innovative industries based on non-traditional uses of the rangelands and their wildlife. Most of our publications are available for viewing, downloading or purchasing online through our website: • downloads at www.rirdc.gov.au/fullreports/index.html • purchases at www.rirdc.gov.au/eshop Peter O’Brien Managing Director Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation iii Acknowledgments Funding for this project was provided by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC), the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) and the South Australian Department for Environment and Heritage (SA DEH). Also, Dana Thomsen was financially supported by a Land and Water Australia PhD scholarship. A large number of people participated in this research. Most importantly, we thank the people involved in the kangaroo industry and Aboriginal people who provided their perspectives on kangaroo management and the industry. Without these research participants this report would not have been possible. SA DEH provided harvest data that required considerable work from staff of the kangaroo management program. SA DEH staff were also helpful by providing additional information as required. Indeed, a number of people from other state government regulatory bodies also provided data and information. Field work was assisted by Luke Diddams, Kado Muir and Joseph Lennon. The maps presented in this report were prepared by Bernhard Haseloff from CartoTech Servies, Adelaide. We received assistance with statistical analysis from David Rutley, University of Adelaide. Lisa Strehlein from AIATSIS provided assistance with understanding the legal framework of Aboriginal rights and interests in kangaroos. John Hatch and Ian Cooper, both from The University of Adelaide, provided advice on economic issues covered in this report. Other people from The University of Adelaide that were helpful and supportive in the production of this report were Louise Moylan, Gavin Riggs and Ian Nuberg. The indigenous component of this research received support and advice from the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement Inc., in particular Tim Wooley. Also Yami Lester facilitated field work and provided valuable information and feedback from the inception of this project and for the duration. CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, current employer of Jocelyn Davies, provided organisational support to allow her to complete project reporting. Four reviewers provided thoughtful and considered comments on an earlier draft of this work. Their valuable suggestions have greatly improved our report. Many other people and organisations have also been of assistance in the preparation and presentation of this research. We are grateful to all who have contributed. iv Abbreviations AG DAFF Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry AIATSIS Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies APY Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara FATE Future of Australia’s Threatened Ecosystems ILUA Indigenous Land Use Agreement IPA Indigenous Protected Area KIAA Kangaroo Industry Association of Australia KIRG Kangaroo Industry Reference Group KMP kangaroo management program LM Land management (quota allocation) MBI Market-based instrument NPW Act National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 [SA] NRM Natural resource management PIRSA Primary Industries and Resources, South Australia PLMC Act Pastoral Land Management and Conservation Act 1989 [SA] RIRDC Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation SA DEH South Australian Department for Environment and Heritage SA NPWS South Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service SCB Soil Conservation Board SCBD Soil Conservation Board District SU Sustainable use (quota allocation) TAFE Technical and further education TGP Total grazing pressure v Contents Foreword............................................................................................................................................... iii Acknowledgments................................................................................................................................. iv Abbreviations......................................................................................................................................... v Executive Summary .............................................................................................................................. x What the report is about ...................................................................................................................... x Background ......................................................................................................................................... x Objectives........................................................................................................................................... xi Methods.............................................................................................................................................. xi Results ................................................................................................................................................ xi Implications...................................................................................................................................... xiii Recommendations ............................................................................................................................. xv 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Objectives................................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Structure of the report.............................................................................................................. 2 2 Background...................................................................................................................................