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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 9 Hansard (21 August) . . Page.. 2747 ..

Use of 1080 poison bait

(Question No 223)

Ms Tucker asked the Minister for Urban Services, upon notice:

In relation to 1080 poison bait:

(1) Does the ACT Government have a current baiting program, and if so, what have been the locations and extent of baiting over the 2001-02 financial year.

(2) Does the ACT Government authorise baiting activities by private leaseholders, and if so, what authorisations have been given out over the 2001-02 financial year.

(3) What baiting activities are expected to occur over the 2002-03 financial year.

(4) What guidelines are followed for the use of 1080 baits.

(5) What notification is given to leaseholders and the public about baiting activities..

(6) What monitoring is done of the impact of baiting on non-target species.

(7) What alternatives have been considered to the use of 1080 poison baiting.

Mr Wood: The answer to the member's questions is as follows:

(1) Environment ACT is responsible for managing the use of compound 1080 (Sodium mono fluoroacetate) poison baits in the ACT. Permit conditions require that public notification in the newspaper must be provided where any baits are located within 1 kilometre from the urban interface: Environment ACT has never placed baits within this distance.

1080 baits have been used to assist in the control of wild dogs and foxes which are responsible for attacking sheep on rural leases. In addition 1080 poisoning has been used to assist in controlling foxes within areas of Namadgi National Park and Tidbinbilla Nature reserve as part of a post graduate study of kangaroo grazing impact in the ACT. Canid species such as dogs and foxes are extremely susceptible to the effects of 1080, meaning that only relatively small amounts of toxin are required. Conversely many native animals are relatively resistant to the effects of 1080 due to the compound being a naturally occurring toxin in many native Australian plants, including Acacias, and Oxylobium species.

An ongoing 1080 poison baiting program is currently being undertaken along a total of 38 kilometres on management trails in the Tidbinbilla Range, Pierces Creek Pine Forest and a rural lease bordering Namadgi National Park. This program is part of an integrated wild dog control program to reduce the number of sheep killed on adjoining rural leases. Baits are located at 1 kilometre distances to avoid animals consuming more than 1 bait.

A total of 10.5 grams of 1080 active ingredient has been used in the ACT in the past year. Fox baits contain .003 mg of 1080 toxin. All baits used in the ACT are commercially prepared and no 1080 powders are stored for use by Environment ACT.

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