Peak NSW bodies are calling for pest animal control to resume immediately, after noticing that control measures have been ‘frozen’ across the state for the past month. 

The Minister for Environment James Griffin announced on 16 September that pest control would be paused to investigate an alleged aerial deer cull that potentially occurred near park users last summer in Kosciuszko National Park.

Only now as reports of invasive species increase with favourable breeding conditions, have people come to realise that that pause is statewide, and has been ongoing for more than 5 months. 

NSW Farmers has called on the state government to resume pest animal control on public land by the end of the week, with CEO Pete Arkle warning of major biosecurity risks. 

“Putting an immediate hold to pest control efforts is like trying to put out half a fire, they’ll simply come back again and in larger numbers,” Mr Arkle said. 

“The state government has spent good money trying to tackle the problem of pest animals, but this decision could undo that spend,” he said. 

The safety of livestock has also been a big concern for farmers, with feral populations responsible for the death of lambs and calves and also spreading diseases. 

Representatives from the Greens and the Invasive Species Council have both called for similar action and for pest control to return. 

A spokesperson for Minister Griffin said that the pause only concerned shooting, leaving other tools available to land managers like the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to continue pest control. 

“While a review into public safety is being conducted, there has been a short pause in animal shooting operations, and other feral animal control methods such as trapping and baiting are continuing as part of the largest ever feral animal control program being carried out by the NPWS),” they said. 

“The Minister understands the shooting element of the feral animal control program will recommence very soon,” they said. 

A spokesperson for NPWS also said that shooting is expected to recommence within the next week. 

“NPWS will always prioritise public safety, and after an allegation in relation to an incident involving the aerial shooting of a deer, a review is being conducted to ensure the NPWS feral animal control program is carried out with the highest safety standards,” they said. 

Invasive Species Council advocacy manager Jack Gough said that there is no excuse for the scale of the ban, which has affected numbers across the state. 

“Of course, safety is paramount, however it’s ridiculous that one allegation on one shock jock radio station of an incident more than six months ago has shut down pest management in parks across the state,” Mr Gough said. 

Just this week in the Environment Ministers meeting (including environment ministers across the state), the Ministers agreed to “Better manage invasive species that are threatening protected biodiversity, including to advance the uptake of technologies for the control of feral cats”.