THE Parliament of Victoria will hold an inquiry into invasive animals on Crown land due to concerns raised by landowners and hunters.
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The Environment, Natural Resources and Regional Development Committee has invited community submissions to the inquiry.
The committee wants to identify the scale of the problem in Victoria and get people’s views on how best to deal with it.
Member for Western Victoria Simon Ramsay said the inquiry was important for regional Victoria.
“We want to tap into the knowledge of people who are dealing with the consequences of invasive animals,” he said.
Committee deputy chairman Tim McCurdy said deer, foxes, rabbits, feral pigs and feral goats had already been identified as having caused the most problems.
Horsham Rural City Council Landcare facilitator Wendy McInnes said rabbits and foxes were causing the most issues for native species in the Wimmera and Grampians.
“You need to co-ordinate eradication as if you kill all the rabbits then the foxes will look for more native species to eat,” she said.
“The fact that quolls have been found in the Grampians means that it is imperative that we get fox numbers down.
“Parks Victoria has re-introduced yellow-footed rock wallabies into the Grampians and they’ll need to control foxes for them to take hold.”
Ms McInnes said invasive animal species were also an issue in urban areas.
“It’s a big problem in Natimuk” she said.
“You can use poisons in urban areas but there are limits.”
Victorian Farmers Federation livestock president Leonard Vallance said wild dogs had been an issue for farmers in the Mallee.
“But I’m not aware of any reports of dog attacks in west Wimmera,” he said.
“You do have the perennial issues of foxes killing livestock and rabbits destroying pasture.
“Farmers are also concerned about animal welfare issues due to the horrific injuries that dogs and foxes cause to lambs and newborn calves.”
Mr Vallance said feral deer had also started to cause issues for farmers and had become a danger to motorists.
Submissions to the parliamentary inquiry can be made until August 8.
More details about the inquiry, its terms of reference and how to make a submission, are available online though the parliamentary committee’s website.