Media Release

AUSTRALIAN Party Federal Leader and Member for Kennedy Bob Katter has again said Queenslanders must be given the right to cull flying foxes.

With yesterday’s confirmed case south of Townsville of a horse contracting Hendra virus Mr Katter has called for the Queensland Government to allow culling of flying foxes.

"People will be given back control of their own backyards. If there are any dangerous animals then you will have every right to deal with them at your discretion," said Mr Katter.

"It’s your land. It’s your decision.

"The LNP policy is almost identical to the ALP policy, which moves the problem into other people’s backyards. Both party policies simply offer a short

‐term fix, depriving the landholder from any long term solution."

Mr Katter said, "It is the ALP and LNP’s basic belief system that the crown owns your back yard. We reject that totally. We are Australians and we own our backyards, not the crown."

Australian Party Queensland State Leader and Member for Beaudesert Aidan Mclindon has said, "Yet again the LNP have sided with the APL and we urge them to support the Australian Party policy on this critical issue.

"Councils will have the ability to issue mitigation permits at their discretion as they have a direct knowledge of the issues in their local communities across Queensland.

"We believe that people own their own backyard, not the Crown. We will put people’s lives above that of disease carrying bats," said Mr McLindon.

Australian Party and Member for Dalrymple Shane Knuth said, "Government must stop bring sympathetic to flying foxes and put the quality of life of people before vermin.

"In my home town of Charters Towers we have had these pests flapping around for 15 years and no party has offered any solution. At this present moment we still have 15 000. People are putting up with the filth, stench, ticks and serious viral risks that have resulted in death.

"Our policy guarantees removal and action," Mr Knuth said.

MEDIA RELEASE Friday, 6 January 2012 Hon Bob Katter MP Member for Kennedy th

"Flying fox numbers have exploded. We have had a series of outbreaks of Hendra throughout Queensland and serious culling has to be introduced," Mr Katter said.

"We need to follow the example set by every properly managed National Park and Wildlife Reserve in the world. They have overpopulation management controls to bring numbers back to a natural and balanced order. That needs to be done here," he said.