PP 222 INQUIRY INTO MANAGEMENT OF OVERABUNDANT AND PEST SPECIES Third Report of the Fifty-Fourth Parliament OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE Tabled in the House of Assembly and ordered to be published 2nd July 2019 First Session, Fifty-Fourth Parliament A149797 - xiii - PRESIDING MEMBER’S FOREWORD The Natural Resources Committee initiated an Inquiry into the Management of Overabundant and Pest Species in 2018 within the context of a significant review of the Natural Resources Management framework in South Australia. Numerous previous Parliamentary Inquiries and fact-finding visits have revealed ongoing concerns with multiple overabundant and pest species in South Australia. The current inquiry has sought to gauge the efficacy of current legislative, policy and partnering approaches used to manage overabundant and pest species, and to understand whether any other approaches may provide more effective alternatives. The Committee sought information about the costs of managing overabundant and pest species and their impacts within South Australia, for example, their effects on agricultural outputs, environmental values, tourism, road safety and amenity. The Inquiry received 41 submissions and heard evidence from 12 witnesses. The Committee heard evidence that there is presently an abundant animal problem that is causing an imminent threat to our state’s biodiversity, among other impacts. The overabundance of severeal species was caused by changes to the landscape, including by the clearing of native vegetation. Further, the Committee heard that unless we act to manage the problem by culling abundant animals, there will not be a lot of other biodiversity in the state. Evidence presented to the Committee recommended that action to manage abundant species must be Government led, and managed by local stakeholders including landholders, National Parks services, Aboriginal communities, and local management authorities such as Landscape Boards and Councils. In addition to an overhaul of the permit system, management actions must include community education and industry development. In relation to community education, the Committee heard that there is a genuine reluctance to communicate with the public Parliament of South Australia Natural Resources Committee - xiii - about culling, as some community stakeholders find the concept of culling an abhorrent approach in managing overabundant species. The Committee thanks those stakeholders who responded to the Terms of Reference and contributed to this robust Inquiry. I thank all those who gave their time to assist the Committee with this inquiry. I commend the members of the Committee, Mr David Basham MP, Dr Susan Close MP, Hon John Darley MLC, Mr Nick McBride MP, Hon Terry Stephens MLC and Hon Russell Wortley MLC for their contributions to this report. I also thank Mr Philip Frensham and Dr Monika Stasiak for their assistance throughout. Mr Josh Teague MP Presiding Member 2nd July 2019 Parliament of South Australia Natural Resources Committee - xiii - Contents PRESIDING MEMBER’S FOREWORD .......................................................................................i EXECUTIVE SUMMARY............................................................................................................ v Impacts of overabundant and pest species .................................................................................. v Efficacy of management approaches to overabundant and pest species...................................... vi Costs of overabundant and pest species ..................................................................................... ix SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................................................... x TABLE OF FIGURES................................................................................................................. xii THE NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE .........................................................................xiii FUNCTIONS OF THE COMMITTEE ....................................................................................... xiv REFERRAL PROCESS............................................................................................................... xv TERMS OF REFERENCE ......................................................................................................... xvi Introduction................................................................................................................................... 1 Rationale for the Inquiry ............................................................................................................ 1 What are overabundant and pest species?................................................................................... 2 Scope of the report..................................................................................................................... 2 Disclosure of evidence............................................................................................................... 3 Conduct of the inquiry ............................................................................................................... 3 CURRENT MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORKS ............................................................................... 4 Explanation of current regulatory and policy frameworks for managing overabundant and pest species in South Australia .......................................................................................................... 4 Biosecurity SA risk management and policy framework for managing pest and invasive species 8 State-National policy and partnerships ....................................................................................... 9 Funding arrangements.............................................................................................................. 10 Term of Reference 3: Impacts of overabundant and pest species on agricultural outputs, environmental values, tourism, road safety, and amenity.............................................................. 11 Impacts on agriculture.............................................................................................................. 11 Impacts on ecosystems............................................................................................................. 14 Animal welfare impacts ........................................................................................................... 17 Impacts on communities and amenity values............................................................................ 17 Positive impacts....................................................................................................................... 19 Term of Reference 2: Costs of managing overabundant and pest species ...................................... 20 Term of Reference 1: Efficacy of existing or novel regulatory, policy and partnering frameworks used to manage overabundant and pest species............................................................................. 23 Management of macropods ...................................................................................................... 23 Management of deer ................................................................................................................ 28 Management of Little Corellas................................................................................................. 31 Management of long-nosed fur seals ........................................................................................ 32 Management of carp ................................................................................................................ 34 Management of foxes............................................................................................................... 34 Parliament of South Australia Natural Resources Committee - xiii - Management of flying foxes..................................................................................................... 35 Management of Wild Dogs ...................................................................................................... 35 Management of Marine Pests ................................................................................................... 35 Management of Plants.............................................................................................................. 35 Successes in the management of overabundant and pest species ................................................... 36 Statewide policy frameworks ................................................................................................... 36 Agency and peak body support ................................................................................................ 36 Partnerships ............................................................................................................................. 37 Suggested improvements to current management systems ............................................................ 39 Risk-based and impact-based management principles............................................................... 39 Urgent response management .................................................................................................. 41 Integrated, statewide-level and landscape- level coordination................................................... 42 Short- and long- term measures and diverse measures within statewide strategy....................... 44 Need