LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Thursday, 13th May, 1993 ______ Mr Speaker (The Hon. Kevin Richard Rozzoli) took the chair at 9 a.m. Mr Speaker offered the Prayer. HOMEFUND MORTGAGE RELIEF BILL Withdrawal Order of the day for second reading of this bill discharged. Bill ordered to be withdrawn. NATIONAL PARKS AND WILDLIFE (EMU LICENCE) AMENDMENT BILL Bill introduced and read a first time. Second Reading Mr SMALL (Murray) [9.6]: I move: That this bill be now read a second time. Interest in emu farming began in Western Australia in the mid-1970s. By 1986 an emu farm operated by the Ngangganawili Aboriginal community was rearing about 600 emu chicks a year. The following year emu farming was recognised by Western Australia's Department of Agriculture as being technically feasible as a rural enterprise with prospects of development of an export industry for emu products. Western Australia's Department of Agriculture itself established an experimental emu farm in 1988 and commenced work on establishing optimal housing and husbandry standards for the commercial production of emus. By the end of 1988 17 emu farms had been licensed and the Western Australian Farmers Federation had formed a group called Emu Farmers of Australia to pursue the investigation and development of markets for emu products. There is a growing international market for emu products, including meat for human consumption, leather, oil for use in skin care products, medication and cosmetics, feathers, claws and carved eggs. In 1990 the former Minister for the Environment, the Hon. Tim Moore, M.P., and the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the Hon. Ian Armstrong, M.P., established an interdepartmental committee to inquire into the feasibility of introducing emu farming into New South Wales. Officers of the National Parks and Wildlife Service and New South Wales Agriculture visited Western Australia to discuss the industry with their counterparts, a number of emu farmers and the Western Australian Farmers Federation. The committee reported to the Ministers in July 1990, recommending that steps, including amendments to the National Parks and Wildlife Act, be initiated to facilitate the introduction of this new industry into New South Wales. Commercial emu farming has been occurring in Western Australia since 1976, and about 39 farms are now operating there. In addition, there are two farms in Queensland and one in Tasmania, and emu farming has recently been approved in South Australia. It can be seen that emu farming is a new but growing Australian industry. The industry will not operate by way of culling animals from the wild. Rather, the emus that will eventually be slaughtered will be captive-bred animals. Licences may be issued to permit the taking of some chicks from the wild to provide breeding stock, but only from areas where, in the past, licences have been issued to kill emus that have been damaging crops and fences. The number of animals taken from the wild for breeding stock will not exceed those that have been killed in the past for damage mitigation purposes. The emu farming industry will not have any impact on the conservation status of emus in the wild. When the industry commenced in Western Australia that State developed housing and husbandry standards and licensing conditions that have been adopted by Queensland and Tasmania and will be adopted by South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. It is important for the stability of the industry, the protection of the market and the protection of wild populations of emus that there be consistent standards for emu farming throughout Australia. Licensing fees will be set at $5,000 per annum so that the cost of introducing the emu licensing system is borne by the industry. The introduction of the licensing system will not divert resources from any conservation programs or the work of the National Parks and Wildlife Service. If interest in the new industry is even greater than expected, any surplus of funds from licensing fees over administrative charges will be used for research and development to benefit the emu farming industry. The bill proposes that the National Parks and Wildlife Act be amended to permit persons holding emu licences to breed and raise emus and trade in emu products. Emus will be processed only in licensed abattoirs. Emu farming is a new and growing industry. It has the potential to provide jobs and income for the people of New South Wales and, in particular, the rural sector, which has been experiencing great difficulties. Establishing the industry will not pose a conservation threat to the species. Emu farming is in accordance with the principles of sustainable utilisation that in recent years have been endorsed by the Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council and the International Union for the Conservation of Page 2043 Nature. I believe we have been very remiss in Australia, particularly in the eastern States, not to have introduced emu farming long before now. Emus are a natural resource in New South Wales, and in Australia generally. I commend the Government of Western Australia, which got its act together some years ago in regard to the issue of emu farming licences. That State has led the way. Emu farming could play a significant role in the eastern States, particularly in New South Wales. In this time of great hardship it could provide a boost for people in country areas. I point out that ostriches have been imported into Australia and the ostrich farming program is thriving. Early last year I was invited to open an ostrich farming field day. Though I anticipated that 150 people might attend, the actual number was of the order of 1,150, which surprised me. People travelled to Bunnaloo, which is situated near the border close to Moama and Echuca. The attendance of 1,150 people at a field day indicated the tremendous interest in ostrich farming. At that time the price being paid was approximately $80,000 for a pair of 2½-year-old birds, and chicks were bringing approximately $3,000 to $6,000. Honourable members should appreciate that, with respect to a growth industry such as ostrich farming, when it becomes a viable commercial industry, the price will be dictated by the commercial value of the product, particularly the feathers, meat and leather. It is essential that the proposed legislation be approved so that emu farming can commence. America is already farming emus and it is surprising that Australia has not got its act together long before this. The eastern States should follow the example of Western Australia in regard to the issue of emu farming licences. I congratulate the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the former Minister for the Environment on their initiative in arranging for staff from New South Wales Agriculture and the National Parks and Wildlife Service to travel to Western Australia and study emu farming there, and then return and put together a package of recommendations about how emu farming could be undertaken in this State. The present Minister for the Environment will have responsibility for administering the proposed emu farming licensing bill, if it is approved by the House, and I appeal to Opposition and Independent members to consider the benefits that will flow from the establishment of a new industry that has great potential for New South Wales. It will not be necessary to import emus into Australia. There are already large numbers of emus in New South Wales, particularly in the Western Division. The numbers are huge. It is probably fair to say that the very severe drought that has been raging in the west and northwestern parts of the State - it has now moved to the northeastern parts as well - has undoubtedly caused a loss of wildlife, which could include emus. Last year when I was travelling down the Sturt Highway, through northwestern Victoria and eastern South Australia, I was surprised to see emus in mobs of up to 70 birds. I believe that is unique. Eighteen months ago I, together with a former member of the upper House, the Hon. Jack Doohan, visited the town of Louth. When I visited the property of the Hon. Jack Doohan on that occasion I was amazed to observe the wildlife on the property. It was remarkable. The number of emus in each of the mobs ranged from 50 to 100, and there were also kangaroos and wild goats on the property. Honourable members should appreciate that, wherever abattoirs have been established - particularly in Cobar and Broken Hill, and in South Australia which will take supplies from New South Wales - the wild goat population has been managed in such a way that farmers are able to herd them, just as they do with sheep. It may not be as easy to manage the goats because they live in the wild and are very destructive. Whilst the farmers are not making large profits from these goats, prices range from $3 an animal to about $7. It is one way of successfully ridding a property of the damaging effects of wild goats and using the meat as a resource - not for human consumption but for pet food and other requirements. As I have said, emus exist in very large numbers throughout western New South Wales, but that is not to say there are none in central New South Wales. Emus are to be found throughout the Murray electorate, but they are found in their largest numbers in the Western Division. I understand that the National Parks and Wildlife Service had received at least 60 inquiries about emu farming. However, I understand that that number has increased recently as a result of interest in the National Parks and Wildlife (Emu Licence) Amendment Bill, which is before the House.