Queenslands response to dingo protection...

Jen Parker

Thank you for your email of 15 February 2016 regarding protection of the dingo. The Honourable Dr Steven Miles MP, Minister for Environment and Heritage Protection and Minister for National Parks and the Great Barrier Reef has asked me to respond on his behalf.

The Management of dingoes involves a range of legislative, ethical, environmental, economic and social responsibilities within Queensland, the dingo is recognised as native wildlife under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 and is therefore protected on national and regional parks. In other areas of Queensland, wild dogs (including dingoes) are declared a Class 2 declared pest species under the Land Protection (Pest and Stock Route Management) Act 2002. This declaration recognises that wild dogs can have adverse economic, environmental or social impacts and brings with it the requirement that landowners must take reasonable steps to keep land free of wild dogs. Faced with the complexities of conflicting legal and social obligations regarding the management of wild dogs, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) endeavours to manage wild dog populations so they are not a threat to people, economic livelihoods or social wellbeing. At the same time, QPWS also aims to conserve biodiversity and abide by the principles for managing protected areas, which includes the maintenance of natural ecological balance and ecological processes. This includes protecting dingoes on most protected areas to ensure the critical role of these apex predators is not diminished. QPWS recognises that dingoes play an important role in maintaining healthy ecosystems through their interactions with smaller predators and herbivores. As such, QPWS has developed an operational policy and procedural guide for managing wild dogs on QPWS estate. The policy and guide aims to ensure the preservation of sustainable dingo populations, while minimising the risks to native wildlife and other values of QPWS managed lands, including public safety and the economic and social wellbeing of the community. The policy and guide can be found on the Department of National Parks, Sport and Racing’s website www.npsr.qld.qov.au/policies/pdf/op-pk-nrm-wild-dog-mgt.pdf. As QPWS undertakes an integrated and coordinated pest control program it does on some occasions require the use of lethal wild dog control measures. Where such control measures are required, current and potential control methods comply with the Code of Practice for the Humane Control of Wild Dogs. The Code of Practice can be found on the Pestsmart website www.pestsmart.org.au/model-code-of-practice-for-the-humane-control-of-wild-dogs/. I hope this information has been of assistance to you. Should you have any further enquiries, please contact Dr Geoff Lundie-Jenkins, Manager Fire and Pest Systems, QPWS on (07) 3199 7557 or via email geoff.lundie-ienkins@npsr.qld.gov.au. Yours sincerely Philip Halton Chief of Staff