Liberals will get wild dogs under control
State Liberal Member for Eildon Cindy McLeish MP has announced that an elected Liberal-Nationals government will introduce new measures to bring wild dog numbers under control in Victoria’s High Country.
“The Andrews Labor Government’s weakening of wild dog management has left numbers out-of-control, while attacks on livestock continue to take an emotional and financial toll on landowners,” Ms McLeish said.
The state-wide policy was announced by Shadow Minister for Agriculture Peter Walsh at the Mountain Cattlemen’s Association of Victoria Annual Get Together in Buchan.
The Liberal’s policies will include:
Appointing an independent chair to the Wild Dog Control Advisory Committee, with relevant wild dog control experience
Restoring majority landowner representation to the Committee
Cutting red tape that hampers wild dog controllers and affected landowners from control efforts
A competitive tender process for spring and autumn aerial baiting to ensure maximum value and effectiveness for investment
Ms McLeish said the new policies have come about by extensive community consultation with Victorian landowners conducted by herself and her parliamentary colleagues.
“Local landowners have contacted me about the impact wild dogs are having on their livelihoods and frustrated with Labor ignoring them and doing nothing to combat the problem,” Ms McLeish said.
“Labor has wasted two years conducting a review into wild dogs, cut the successful wild dog bounty programme, then back flipped and reintroduced it.”
“Daniel Andrews has been completely inconsiderate of country people affected by this problem and owes them an apology,” Ms McLeish said.
Ms McLeish concluded saying “Labor have lost control of the leash when it comes to wild dogs. It’s time for a Liberal government to step in and act on our commitment to restoring sensible policies to combat wild dogs.”
