Bundaberg fruit growers want flying fox culling reintroduced
ABC Wide Bay (Bundaberg), Rural Report, 13/01/2009 06:16am
John Kajewski, Bundaberg lychee grower, says he won’t be able to carry on farming next season unless the Government overturns a ban on shooting flying foxes or introduces cheaper and more effective crop protection measures. He claims Bird Fright cartridges supplied by the DPI are not deterring the animals and are not safe as they don’t explode properly and can start fires. Kajewski says growers have a report from the EPA saying to now use gas guns, which are not always effective. Netting is not viable because of the cost, and other measures are not as effective as shooting as the foxes become used to them. Kajewski says on the night of the 17th December they lost 20 percent of their crop, and 35 percent all up; [previously they have lost 10 percent at worst. he says the Government needs to “wake up and get on the farms” and understand the validity of the scout theory. He says Andrew McNamara, Queensland Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation, must take the legislation back to Parliament and repeal it or there will not be an orchard left in Qld in 2-3 years. The DPI is to start assessing damage to crops at the end of the month, while the Government has not commented on the effectiveness of Bird Scarer. The EPA says the ban on shooting foxes will stay in effect. Rob Messenger, LNP MP for Burnett, will write to the Government seeking a change to the current policy.
Interviewee: John Kajewski, Bundaberg lychee grower.
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