Dr WOODRUFF question to MINISTER for ENVIRONMENT, PARKS and HERITAGE, Mr GUTWEIN
A 2001 report on management of Forester kangaroos in Tasmania estimated the population then was 26 000 animals. The assessors recommended that no more than 10 per cent of the population from each region in Tasmania should ever be culled. On the Australian Government's website, apparently from the early 2000s, the Forester kangaroo was assessed as being not vulnerable on the basis that some 600 were culled each year in the Midlands and 60 in the north-east. Since 2014 a recent RTI from DPIPWE tells us a staggering 51 000 Forester kangaroos have been allowed to be killed under crop protection permits issued by DPIPWE. That is nearly twice the number of the total estimated population. Do you have any idea what the current population of Forester kangaroos is in Tasmania? When was the last comprehensive population survey conducted, including within each region?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am happy to take the question, but the minister responsible for crop protection permits -
Dr Woodruff - We're not talking about the permits, we're talking about the population.
Madam SPEAKER - Order.
Mr GUTWEIN - In terms of the question and the detail you have asked for I will seek some answers from the department. But the minister responsible for permits made the Government's position perfectly clear yesterday and provided a comprehensive answer of the balanced approach we take. Regarding the detail the member was seeking, I am happy to see what I can find and provide a response to the member when I have that to hand.