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Australia & New Zealand Hunting : Australia: Game Council finds positives in park hunting pause

on 2013/3/4 12:15:18 (99 reads)

The New South Wales Game Council says it believes a review of its operations will leave the state's Premier and the public more confident about its ability to oversee hunting in national parks.

But critics says the review and the delay in hunting that goes with it is a stunt to take the heat away from the issue.

Yesterday Premier Barry O'Farrell announced the start of hunting in 79 national parks, nature reserves and conservation areas would be put on hold for several more months while a review examines concerns at how the Game Council is run.

The announcement followed an internal investigation report handed to the State Government about allegations a senior Game Council member inhumanely killed a feral goat.

The review is due to be completed at the end of May.

Game Council chairman John Mumford concedes the body has struggled to convince the public of its ability to oversee the national park hunting program, but he says he hopes the review will change that.

"When the Premier gets this report, that will actually make him far more confident in our ability to deliver hunting in national parks than what he may be now," he said.

"(It will) give the people of NSW confidence that we can deliver this program safely and effectively."

Justin McKee from the National Parks Association has welcomed the review and the pause on hunting, but is also suspicious of the Government's timing.

"We're in a federal election cycle that is touted to be potentially won in western Sydney," Mr McKee said.

"This is the most unpopular topic for NSW, it's grossly embarrassing for the O'Farrell Government. Of course it's a convenient time to put a pause on this."

The review has not changed any minds within the Opposition or the Greens.

"There is a concern that this is an inquiry established to take the heat off the Government on a point where it's clearly bleeding," Greens MP David Shoebridge said.

"Don't just suspend it. End it, kill it off completely," Opposition spokesman Luke Foley said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-03-01 ... pause/4547042?section=nsw

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