Media Release

31 October 2016: KAP Member for Kennedy has today responded to the reported findings on the Environment Department’s consultation on crocodile management stating that North Queenslanders “love nature and are sick and tired of brainless concrete greenies”.

“As a resident of North Queensland for almost three quarters of a century and a family that has been here since the 1870s, I would say that crocodile numbers are 20 times higher than when the white fellas arrived in North Queensland.

“Even though I spent a fair proportion of my life actually in the bush, I had never seen a croc in the wild – ever; until about 20 years ago.

“All the predators have been removed and we people that love nature are sick and tired of brainless ‘concrete greenies’. They have no idea what they are talking about and this is a good case in point. You put nature completely out of balance”, Mr Katter said.

According to media reports, the survey, with a limited sample size of 1961 respondents, found that 75% of respondents support the removal of aggressive and dangerous crocodiles from urban areas in the interests of public safety. While 15% support a widespread cull.

“This survey result is a product of the media and the education system, not a product of intelligent naturalists who know that in nature crocs were constantly culled. Goannas and Dingos took a huge toll on those eggs, while gropers ate little crocs in the rivers. And our First Australians were probably the second biggest predator (of the crocodile eggs).

“We are saying you need croc culling, whether you put them into farms or whether you shoot them.

“For those that say you can’t have trophy hunting – for at least 3,500 years man has been trophy hunting.

“Concrete Greenies are in step with nurture, not nature,” Mr Katter said.

##Ends##