29 May 2018
Conservation groups welcome ALP pledge to protection the Snowy Mountains from feral horses
Leading conservation groups have welcomed NSW Labor’s pledge to protect the state’s fragile Snowy Mountains from large herds of ecologically destructive feral horses.
The NSW Nature Conservation Council, NSW National Parks Association, Invasive Species Council and Colong Foundation for Wilderness have also welcomed Labor’s promise to increase funding for feral animal control and restore funding for the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
NCC CEO Kate Smolski said: “The ALP position restores sanity to this debate. The Coalition has taken that debate off the rails with it’s irresponsible plan to protect large herds of feral animals in our national parks.
“Thousands of horses in the Snowy Mountains are endangering the survival of 31 uniquely Australian species. We call on all parties to support effective, humane measures to control feral horses in our national parks. The Labor position will help achieve that.”
NPA CEO Alix Goodwin said: “We applaud the ALP for putting science and conservation before base politics. Large herds of feral horses are threatening iconic Australia species like the Corroboree Frog, so they have no place in our national parks.
“The Berejiklian government’s foolish policy to protect thousands of hard-hooved animals will wreck the high country, drive many Australian species to the brink, and pollute the clean mountains streams that are critical for downstream users.”
Colong Foundation Director Keith Muir said: "I am delighted that NSW Labor has done the right thing and stood by National Parks and nature conservation on the matter of horse management in Kosciuszko National Park.
"There's great pressure on the Opposition when a state election looms to allow marginal seat concerns like those in the Seat of Monaro dictate conservation policy. Today we see that Luke Foley and NSW Labor has stood by national parks to ensure that they remain protected, forever.”
Invasive Species Council Andrew Cox said: “The Labor support for the 2016 feral horse control plan is a very big step forward for conservation.
“The plan’s strength was that it drew on community views to address the exponential growth in horse numbers while respecting science and animal welfare. Mr Barilaro’s plan fails miserably on all these counts.”
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Forests and wildlifeRivers and wetlands
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