A wild pig attack on a boy in North Queensland has promptedKatter Australia Party leader Bob Katter to call for licensed recreationalshooters into protected estates.
Mr Katter, the Federal Member for Kennedy, said describedthese estates as having been “turned into pig pens, weed nurseries and firestarters by the green push” which has increased the threat on human lives.
“I’ve been surprised there haven’t been people killed,” saidMr Katter, pointing to the massive 40,000 feral pigs culled in five years byFirst Australian aerial shooters in the Gulf of Carpentaria alone.
Mr Katter blamed governments’ “pandering to the greenie voteat the expense of human lives and safety” for the increasing populations ofdangerous, destructive and disease-carrying animals such as feral pigs, flyingfoxes and crocodiles encroaching on human territory.
“People are dying – governments have got to get serious,”said Mr Katter of the legal duty of care to prioritise human lives.
“In the case of feral pigs, an eradication campaign isneeded, and it can be done – I don’t care what they say.”
Mr Katter said that aside from the environmental destructionwrought by feral pigs in protected estates – from the predation of endangeredcassowaries to the erosion of river systems in so-called ‘pristinewildernesses’ – they also posed a significant and serious disease threat toAustralia.
“A pig’s DNA is very similar to human DNA and there’s verydangerous diseases can run amok across pig populations,” said Mr Katter.
“Pigs are prime carriers of foot-and-mouth disease, and theminute we get foot-and-mouth in this country, it will wipe out Australia’scattle industry.
“They’re breeding in the millions in our northern nationalpark jungles and rainforests and we’re sitting on a time bomb.
“And those numbers are magnifying on a daily basis becausethe only really effective predator, man, has been removed and needs to bereturned or the place will be overrun.
“This is what happens when you have your nature reserves andrestrictive laws – all you’ve done is build fire starters and pig pens and weednurseries.”
Mr Katter said licensed shooters were far more effective andpreferable to baiting, which was indiscriminate to species such as nativecarrion birds, or trapping, which captured young cassowaries.
“Australians have hunted dangerous feral animals since theycame to Australia – this is a legitimate recreational pursuit that would yieldenormous social and environmental benefit for our country.”
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