SHADOW Minister for Agriculture Brendan Moylan has hit out at the Minns Labor Government for announcing yet another review into feral pigs.
Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty on Thursday announced nearly 250,000 pigs have been culled across New South Wales over the last three years, barely putting a dent into pig populations.
Mr Moylan said announcing yet another review and then quoting mediocre numbers from the past three years doesn’t hide the reality on the ground.
“Feral pigs are exploding across regional New South Wales and farmers are paying the price,” Mr Moylan said.
“If nearly 250,000 pigs have been culled and the problem is still this bad, that tells you the current approach is nowhere near enough, and is having no impact on the breeding cycle.
Mr Moylan has long argued around 80 per cent of pig population numbers need to be culled per year via targeted local campaigns.
“Minister Tara Moriarty can announce reviews, roundtables and ‘improved coordination’ all she likes but farmers and regional communities don’t need another study,” he said.
“We need helicopters in the air, boots on the ground and pigs being shot, baited and trapped at pace and scale.
“It is simple really, until there is a serious increase in the feral pig control budget and sustained, large-scale aerial and ground operations, feral pigs will continue to run rampant across NSW.
“Every month the government spends talking about ‘making management bigger and better’ is another month pigs are breeding, destroying crops, damaging native vegetation, river systems and spreading significant disease risk.
“Enough talk, enough reviews. Stop hiding behind announcements and start backing farmers and regional communities with the funding and decisive action they deserve.”
