Page 2313 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 23 June 2010
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Islander Affairs and Minister for the Arts and Heritage) (5.18): I must say that I am very pleased and that I welcome this motion by Mrs Dunne. I acknowledge the comments that Mrs Dunne has made and that are reflected in her motion in relation to the culling of kangaroos and the processes that are now in place to support the culling of kangaroos.
Kangaroo culling is a very fraught issue. It is difficult, as is the culling or killing of any animal. I do welcome the bipartisanship that is reflected in this motion. Indeed, I do acknowledge that over time Mrs Dunne, on behalf of the Liberal Party, has always been prepared publicly to support kangaroo culling and other necessary culling activities that have been undertaken or are undertaken on a regular basis by the ACT government in the management of our parks and nature reserves.
Mrs Dunne, I have always been mindful of the position that you have taken, which does very much reflect the position I take. I must say that I think it is a beacon in terms of the desirability from time to time for politicians to respect and to reflect that there are things that government does that it is not easy for government to do, and things that it would be easy to seek to utilise for political purposes.
I do acknowledge that in relation to culling, most particularly kangaroo culling which we are discussing today, Mrs Dunne has always been very prepared to look objectively at the issue and to speak her mind in relation to that. I appreciate the motion and I take this opportunity to acknowledge that it is a position that Mrs Dunne has, over a number of years now, been prepared to put publicly.
It is a fraught issue. Accepting the attitudes of sections of the community to kangaroo culling and other culling, the government has sought, over time, to refine very much the scientific basis. It has sought to refine it, to seek it out, to seek to explain it and to have the science that underpins the basis of culling as undertaken here in the territory validated. I think it is fair to say that all of the research that we have pursued has been done rigorously and scientifically. It has invariably, if not always, been peer reviewed in terms of having the science substantiated.
It is about balance. It is about protecting ecological communities. It genuinely is. It is about seeking to ensure that the ecological communities that are part and parcel of the ACT are protected. Of course, some of those communities, or parts or aspects of the communities, are very vulnerable and endangered. We are seeking through the kangaroo culling we undertake to protect those ecosystems.
It is the fact that, in terms of research undertaken by Territory and Municipal Services, whilst I think we all accept it is not nice, that it is confronting, that it is regretful and sad, the significant majority of Canberrans have, over time, taken the time to seek to understand, do understand and do accept, I am sure with reluctance, the necessity of kangaroo culling.
Mrs Dunne has today raised, however, another issue, an issue which there has been some discussion around. The heart of the motion really is Mrs Dunne’s proposal that we seek to utilise the carcasses of kangaroos that are culled or killed. I must say it is a position that I do have some sympathy for. It is not a position that I have acted on. I
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