Media Release

QUEENSLANDERS can but watch on in envy while our Northern Territory and New South Wales neighbours lead the way with innovative shooting programs to tackle skyrocketing numbers of killer crocodiles and pest animals in so‐called ‘protected’ national parks.

A long‐term advocate of crocodile safari hunting, KAP Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter said it had been horrific to watch Queensland’s national parks become ‘pig nurseries’ and increasing incursions of ‘croc‐roaches’ in urban areas under the previous State Government’s shameless and irresponsible pandering to the green vote.

But Mr Katter warned that the new State Government was becoming "increasingly isolated" on such issues following the recent developments to trial crocodile safari hunting in the NT; and to open up NSW national parks to conservation shooting for licensed game hunters.

"Since taking power, the new Qld Government has not even moved to reverse the ban on pocket knives or honour a pre‐election promise to get rid of plague proportions of flying foxes," said Mr Katter.

"They’ve been there for three months, so one‐twelfth of their life as a Government has already gone and all they’ve done is announce that they will further tighten gun laws and further restrictions on fishing.

"And despite making a grab for votes with his ‘zero‐tolerance’ policy for crocs in urban areas just before the election, the LNP Premier then baulked at any sort of culling programs.

"This is in sharp contrast to the NT, which is moving to crocodile shooting safari tours; and to NSW, which is moving to licensed conservation shooting in national parks to control feral pests such as pigs.

"All this leaves the Qld Government looking very isolated, while Queenslanders are left to watch on as their parks are taken over by pest animals, and crocs force us out of places that were not so long ago safe to swim and fish in."

Mr Katter said that in the 40 years after commercial croc culling was outlawed, numbers had undoubtedly exploded in Qld, with the 326 sightings reported last year up more than 40 per cent on 2010.