ScienceDaily (Dec. 4, 2012) — The effort to stop the irreversible spread of foxes in Tasmania is at a critical stage with many native species at risk of extinction, new research by University of Canberra ecologists and their collaborators published in the British Ecological Society’s Journal of Applied Ecology shows.
Using DNA detection techniques developed at the University, the team mapped the presence of foxes in Tasmania, predicted their spread and developed a model of their likely distribution as a blueprint for fox eradication, but swift and decisive action is needed.
University of Canberra professor in wildlife genetics and leader of the team, Stephen Sarre, found foxes are widespread in northern and eastern Tasmania and the model developed by his team forecasts they will spread even further with likely devastating consequences for the island’s wildlife.
“There’s nothing fantastic about foxes being in Tasmania. If we allow them to establish themselves we could see a catastrophic wave of extinction across the island,” Professor Sarre said.
“This research shows foxes are on the verge of becoming irreversibly present in Tasmania,” he said. “Their apparent widespread distribution indicates that the eradication effort is at a critical point and that there is no time to lose.”
Professor Sarre and colleagues used forensic DNA tests combined with collections of fox scats to detect and map the distribution of the predator in Tasmania.
Their detective work, in partnership with Tasmania’s Fox Eradication Program, represents one of the largest surveys of its kind worldwide and provides the first systematic examination of the distribution of foxes in the island, following evidence and allegations that indicate a long history of isolated introductions.
According to Professor Sarre, the widespread nature of the predator distribution in Tasmania reveals that targeting only fox activity hotspots for eradication is unlikely to be successful.
“The recently adopted plan of baiting all highly suitable fox habitats is the right one given the widespread fox distribution that we’ve found.
“The present situation could be as serious a threat to the pristine Tasmanian environment as the previous extinction wave was to Australia’s mainland fauna, following the arrival of Europeans and which has so far wiped out more than 20 species.
“We suggest an increased effort and an even more focused approach to maximize the chances of a successful eradication. Otherwise, Australia stands on the precipice of another major episode of mammalian extinctions.”
The organisations involved in the research include the University of Canberra, Arthur Rylah Institute, NSW Department of Primary Industry, and Tasmanian Department of Primary Industry Parks Water and the Environment collaborating, with and partially funded by, the Invasive Animals CRC.
• From the Sarre et al paper published today in the Journal of Applied Ecology
Title: Foxes are now widespread in Tasmania: DNA detection defines the distribution of this rare but invasive carnivore
The enormous scale and breadth of the distribution of fox scats revealed by our analyses indicate that fox eradication processes will need to be implemented on a very wide scale if they are to succeed. Indeed, a recent external review of the Fox Eradication Program (Parkes & Anderson 2009) recommended a change from the tactical approach currently in place to that of a pre-emptive approach where baiting is rolled out across all suitable habitat on the island. We would go further than that. Our data suggest that foxes could be on the verge of becoming established irreversibly in Tasmania. Given their apparent widespread distribution, the moment may even already have passed for a feasible eradication although we do not suggest that now is the time to stop.
Under the current planning and funding, a single baiting of all highly suitable fox habitat will take 5 years. We suggest that given the widespread fox distribution revealed here, such a timeframe will result in failure. Rather, we suggest that a massive up-scaling of effort and perhaps more focused approach is going to be required to maximize the chances of a successful eradication. Otherwise, Australia stands on the precipice of a third major wave of mammalian extinctions – this time focused on the island of Tasmania.
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Comments (49)
Well he would say that, wouldn’t he..
To quote another expert in the field -
“Sooner or later there will be data on the reliability of the scat mtDNA test as used that will make this clearer - it will all come out with time. As I said, 1 error (Bruny Island) out of 63 fox positive scats is an assumed 1.6% error and easily accounts for 63/10,000 scat (0.63%) positives as nothing but potential errors - of contamination or due to other issue etc. That no expert is asked to look at this and comment from the perspective of a normal scientific estimate of error is so lacking in scientific rigour that it beggars belief! ..... Given the lack of corroborative physical evidence where scats have been collected and their strange distribution (no clear clusters) it (contamination) is beginning to look like the most likely explanation.”
I agree with Dr Sarre that Foxes are a serious threat to Tasmania. You’d have to be barking mad not to. I’d love to know how he thinks the current baiting methods will do anything to mitigate that threat given the massive lack of conclusive data about the nature of Fox presence in Tasmania.
Back to the drawing board I say.
“Apparent”
I remain unconvinced and I still think feral cats and dogs are a greater danger to the environment.
Cue Ian Rist…
Nothing like a good fox tale. Why is it all the foxes, sorry fixes, come from Government. You would think the local farmers would have fox carcasses hanging from their fences.
The only major location of the Tasmanian Fox is Hobart and Canberra. This cunning pest could squeeze a budget out of any politician.
Yes its a crucial time. Budgets are being eradicated. Even the printer is under maintenance. Despite the price of money falling, there is no money. Taxes are harder to collect.
“Lets pulp a few more trees or bait existant animals while trying to bait non-existant ones.” What can Tassy do to survive?
Have no fear, something will turn up. I know, how about we spend less? Whats that you say? “Impossible”. What do you do exactly? “Nothing!.” That is a problem. Who is stupid enough to pay you to do nothing? Surely you as a government worker have some function? Silly me. I guess you will just have to import those foxes. What do you mean “We tried that.” They can’t all have gone to work for the government. Even a fox has some self respect. “Not in Tasmania”.
Sarre’s claim of widespread distribution and seeming recommendation of carpet poisoning is very familiar, very collaterally damaging, and demonstrably very expensive.
The whole project is made all the more confusing by the renowned Tassie predilection for rorts and scams. As such, we still need at least one unambiguous proof of fox presence to give the campaign cred. Unfortunately, fox hounds seem to have become extinct.
Perhaps the shrewdest solution is the one suggested by a Tas Inc type some years ago, which was to eradicate all the foxes’ potential food sources, and starve them out.
John Hayward
Yet not one fox carcass, sighting or capture in the entire state. The only danger to wildlife is from the constant poisoning of the land by the fox task force, FF and farmers spreading 1080 baits everywhere.
This fox task force has to be the greatest con job ever, time to get rid of the incumbent lib/lab/green coalition and get decent people in power who will undertake a complete criminal investigation into the claims of the task fiorce and it’s supporters.
Tasmanian would look forward to the Tasmanian Government now suporting nationally recognised fox-finder, Mr Eddie Juras coming to Tasmania to corroborate the 60-odd out 10,000 carnivore scats collected over the last 6-7 years that Dr Sarre is claiming as scientific knowledge of the presence and establishment of a widespread but small fox population across this island State.
I would be especially keen that Mr Juras confirms the presence of the fox-scat defecator on Bruny Island. Dr Sarre’s genetics lab in Canberra confirmed a single DNA-fox positive scat from that island off SE Tasmania in 2009. Thank you.
So this Study had its collaborators eh, I wonder if this was the team of the Tasmanian FEP?
Obviously there were no items of fact allowed to be considered during this study, no field trips, no photographic evidence, just a folder full of hypothetically contrived numbers?
Maybe if KPMG were to conduct this exercise they would have found reason to suggest twice the rate of Foxes believed to be here in Tasmania.
Lies and deceptions are the tools of politics rather than Universities, however this has now been changed by this State government and the FEP by their enlisting the aid of some nodding boffins in Canberra, to conduct the largest survey of its kind worldwide?
So Tasmanian non-Foxes are being studied in the context of world wide surveys, when Tasmania represents a mere dot on the World map sitting just below Australia, so why the need for a World-wide survey?
This call on the University of Canberra to endorse the horse scat of the FEP Fox scat has the potential of becoming the biggest scam ever found being perpetrated on a world-wide survey basis.
instead of results it is pure propaganda that continues to accumulate.
I have a special verandah post at the rear of my home that I use for banging my head against when another bumbling mind-numbing stumbling event is pushed into the State’s media, this verandah post has over the time of this non-Fox business, developed its own sheen from my oft’ repeated call upon it for its tranquilizing therapeutic effects.
We must thank our elite State government ministers for approving to have those illegally imported Fox turds sent to the dudes in Canberra to come up with their factually unsupportable hypothesis.
The full paper can be found here: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.12011/full
Last month I helped my bro-in-law build a hen house in Queanbeyan, suitably fox-proofed. A friend lost nine chickens to foxes even while we worked. Foxes are a blight we don’t need.
While there may actually be foxes in Tasmania, and it would undoubtedly be an ecological disaster if there were, the issue is not helped by the total absence of journalistic rigour from the ABC and The Mercury.
Don’t they teach journalists to question any more? 9500 scats reported and analysed; how many came back fox positive? Hundreds? five? One? What was the provenance of the evidence? How many of these positive scats were fresh evidence? The sighting in Woodbridge: who sighted it, where? What was the outcome of the investigation by the fox task force? Michelle Paine’s front page Mercury article concludes with the words “...and details of poultry deaths” Poultry deaths? Now thats more like it…but it is precisely (or more imprecisely) reporting such as this that is responsible for the decline in newspaper circulation. For my dollar I want the aforementioned “details”, not just “news” that some hens have died in Woodbridge.
As Fred Flowers, the old cockney UPI photo editor of the 1960s said to me once, when I came back to the office with some pictures of a fire in the City Of London. “You call that a fuckin’ fire son? That’s just smoke! Where are the fuckin’ flames? Where are the bodies”
“Lies and deceptions are the tools of politics rather than Universities, however this has now been changed by this State government and the FEP by their enlisting the aid of some nodding boffins in Canberra, to conduct the largest survey of its kind worldwide?”
Ah the conspiracy speads itself; the farmers, public servants, scientists, politicians, members of the public, media; in fact, nearly everyone, joining together in a massive conspiracy and cover up, in order to con….....themselves, presumably.
Thank goodness for the fox-sceptic fringe dwelling in TT cyberspace. What would we do without you as you wage battle against the evil forces supressing the ‘truth’.
We salute you!
And the Dr WIlliam McBride award goes to ... (in 1981 he published a paper indicating that the drug Debendox (marketed in the US as Bendectin) caused birth defects. His coauthors noted that the published paper contained manipulated data and protested but their voices went unheard. Multiple lawsuits followed by patients and McBride was a willing witness for the claimants. Eventually, the case was investigated and, as a result, McBride was struck off the Australian medical register in 1993 for deliberately falsifying data. An inquiry determined “we are forced to conclude that Dr. McBride did publish statements which he either knew were untrue or which he did not genuinely believe to be true, and in that respect was guilty of scientific fraud.”)
“all highly suitable fox habitats”? like plantation seedling sites - plenty of food in there to eat, potoroos, possums.
Oh, and pardon my cynicism.
An excellent example of the use of statistical analysis to beguile and confuse. When authors explicitly state they use the ‘BFGS’ algorithm (which stands for Broyden–Fletcher–Goldfarb–Shanno method for non-linear optimisation) you come to understand they don’t actually know what it means, but can tick the box in their stats package.
Taking the analysis as it stands, there is no mortality impact included. According to DPIPWE 70% of foxes in the wild are less than 2 years. However, Sarre et al (p6) include scats and other ‘hard’ evidence dating back to 2001 but their modelling does not include the impact of fox mortality on sample distribution. While they do state the data contains a ‘temporal element’ they do not consider its impact in their analysis. In particular, they state they obtained a corrected AUC of 0.71 which was greater than the threshold of 0.7 for a ‘good’ model. It’s highly likely that inclusion of fox mortality in their model would have reduced the AUC below this magic 0.7 level implying their model is poor. On the basis of this omission alone, their results significantly overstate the potential fox threat in Tasmania, let alone the complete absence of fox samples of unambiguous provenance and any photographic evidence.
This research paper states that from over 9,500 scats analysed, 56 scats were confirmed as containing fox DNA and that the majority of the positive samples were collected in 2008 (26) and 2009 (18).
However, the paper provides no evidence that these scats were produced by foxes in Tasmania and the veracity of its claims that foxes are now widespread in Tasmania is put into perspective by the Mercury’s report on 7 July 2010 that “The Fox Eradication Taskforce has imported 600 fox scats from New South Wales since 2007 to use in the training of scat-detector dogs.”
Furthermore, “Tasmania’s biosecurity manager Alex Schaap admitted in Budget estimates hearings on 29 June 2010 that the scats were not tested specifically for the intestinal parasite (hydatids) before they were mailed to the state and dispersed for training purposes.”
http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2010/07/07/157205_tasmania-news.html
The paper acknowledges that the research was funded by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre and the Tasmanian Department of Primary Industry Parks Water and the Environment and gratefully acknowledges the advice received from the Fox Eradication Program Technical Advisory Panel.
The Tasmanian Fox Eradication Branch provided the scats and professor Sarre analysed them. Sarre can then determine whether or not they are fox scats and, if so, gather other information about them such as diet and family links. Having only skimmed through the paper, I can’t yet see how he can come to any other conclusions based on his empirical evidence. How scientifically rigorous were the Tasmanian Fox Eradication Branch’s collection methods?
In order to make sense of this latest scat offering we need to know what possible motivating relationships, if any, he has with beneficiaries of this rort.
And meanwhile no foxproof fences around our ports.
Perhaps if fencing contractors had the same relationships as Canberra scientists we would have chain link electric fence around the whole state by now?
Just arrived back and all I can say is this a painfully obvious exercise on behalf of Dr Sarre and CRC Invasives attempting to shore up a lot more funding…why not? It has worked well for many, many years and The Institute of Applied Ecology Canberra (Sarre’s DNA scat work place) would be making sure the $520,000.00 they have been known to get per year for testing animal scats continues, not to mention the threat to ALL the CRC’s funding if this is exposed for what it is…a giant crock of scat.
You just don’t know, some of the 1200 genuine fox scats that DID COME FROM THE MAINLAND - might just have found their way back to Institute of Applied Ecology, Canberra.
Win, win…we get paid and the Tasmanian Government gets more funding.
PS Stephen you weren’t very convincing on the news tonight.
“As I was going down the stair…”
It’s become clear now. Government agents are bringing fox scats from interstate spreading them around the state, then picking them up again and sending them off to some “nodding boffin” for DNA testing. It is obviously a rort or scam once again with the scientific community’s complicity. But if someone could come up with a photo lots of people would be convinced it would seem. Just make sure there’s a Tasssie landmark in the picture as well or no one will believe it.
I was discussing the alleged fox ‘problem’ with
some of the mature locals in my area.
They say: fox, what fox??
Never seen one, my fore families and their fore
families have never seen one..
FTF please bring us a carcass to justify your
existence, otherwise change the name from FTF to
F C T F (feral cat task force).
It is useful that Stephen Sarre et al. has published their take on fox hunting in Tasmania. They have entered a new zone their analysis can now be reviewed by their peers.
The Fox Hunting Program in Tasmania (aka Fox Eradication Program) went to considerable effort to block Mr Ivan Dean‘s attempts to obtain this data that they rely on for decision-making on ongoing DPIPWE fox hunt.
It is now clear why; the CRC wanted their interpretation out first.
Could it be a coincidence that this Invasive Animals CRC and its public funding is up for review this month?
Adding to Tasmania’s fox hunting this festive season, Mr Nick Mooney is back on deck of SS Foxy-Loxy with Captain Sarre now at the helm setting a course for a golden glow in the west. Someone told them that another El Dorado lies over the horizon.
Ian McLean # 9&15;. Yes I have had time to read the full report…rehashed and recycled propaganda from desperate, funding driven organisations.
All of this was put to bed two years ago…there is nothing new at all.
This is all what is known as “jumping the shark”
Kind reference to Henry Winkler The Fonz.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jump_the_shark
In fact it is still the same old misleading and unproven assumptions.i.e. “between 1998 and 2001 an unknown number of foxes were introduced to Tasmania.” Not according to six Tasmania Police detectives, a Police Inspector and a Police Commander!
That is also the very reason Tasmania Police are now not allowed anywhere near any “Tasmanian” fox matters!
Sure the CRC’s Canberra University’s IAE may have tested some of the 10,000 animal scats as DNA fox positive?
But what is the origin of the scats?
Facts…we know in excess of 1200 fox scats were imported from the mainland, we know many of the fox scats were put out in the Tasmanian landscape, for as period of days, weeks and even months, we also know some the fox scats WERE NEVER collected.
Stephen Sarre may be innocent, what he was sent and what he tested may truly have been fox scats…but what was their true origin?
When Professor Deborah Blackman (Acting Dean, Canberra University) visited me here in Tasmania in 2009 I knew something was up… Blackman and her assistant were on a fishing trip to find out how serious the “fox scat exposure” had become!
My people analysis skills told me that in the first five minutes of the interview.
Rob Walls # 10.
“Don’t they teach journalists to question any more”......
Apparently not in Tasmania, most of them are media release reporters…the whole bloody fox farce has been largely created by a lied to, misled and on fox matters a totally ‘wet behind the ears’ media!
Foxy-Loxy # 11
Ah the conspiracy speads itself; the farmers, public servants, scientists, politicians, members of the public, media; in fact, nearly everyone, joining together in a massive conspiracy and cover up, in order to con….....themselves, presumably.
Foxy-Loxy I haven’t spoken to one farmer that believes we have foxes,public servants,scientists, politicians…self-serving recipients of funding deals struck.
Members of the public? That would be the biggest joke…no one believes you!
(to be continued, out of time now).
“A massive up scaling of effort and perhaps a more focused approach is going to be required to maximise the chances of a successful eradication” The only upscaling of effort going on here is the amount of media crap being churned out with the focus purely set on the money and the only eradication they have in mind is of those standing in the way of the money.
Mr Elliot has on a number of occasions mentioned how much faster he wants this program to move which means less effort will be put in and no monitoring at all, how much lazier can they get? The example of the shambles in the Calder forest should tell you that much. The way Mooney’s alarmist media spin is blanketing the news we are a sunk ship, no chance of eradication now theres hundreds of them foxes. Give me a break! Yes #18, he wasn’t there again today, I wish that Fox would GO AWAY!!!!
if there were foxes in Tassie surely they died out from fires, floods or inbreeding from limited genetic variation, or are there fresh fox imports with new genes to reinvigorate the non existent tassie fox population- which i am not aware of having inflicted any commercial damage to tassie farmers whatever.
$5 million per year looted from the treasury forever!!
Re #1 - Simon, I have wondered about this error rate myself, but I also believe the DNA testers do not rely on the first positive result but also retest to check the positive result.
I would love to know how much we can “trust” that some of those picked up scats were not tampered with somewhere in the collection line. As we are dealing with a small number, it would not take much. But then again I am yet to see ay proof of hoaxing so it remains theoretical.
If anyone has direct evidence of hoaxing surely this would have been put to bed by now.
#25 Indeed. To date there has been no hoaxing or tampering proven, despite a whole lot of theories ... I’m inclined to believe there is (or was) a significant risk of contamination when a large amount of the ‘great poo hunt’ was being conducted. People I have spoken to have stated that the offices that the FEP utilised were full of Fox parts which were not treated with due care. It would not be uncommon for people in Prospect Office to come in daily contact with Fox DNA before heading into the field in the late 2000’s..
But whether such informal contact could lead to contamination is debatable and I have heard different opinions. Perhaps it wasn’t such a big deal. The numbers still don’t make a lot of sense no matter what you attribute it to in my humble….
Completely agree though. If there was any evidence of hoaxing it would have been exposed by now.
#24 $5m a year? Which treasury? Looted is a very strong word. Some has been wasted, granted. How much of it should have been spent though? Ballpark figure Mike?
“If anyone has direct evidence of hoaxing surely this would have been put to bed by now”.
Chris there is clear evidence and admissions from X Task Force employees that fox scat planting has occurred, I have it in writing.
Three farmers I know have had fox scats placed on the properties and told “but you musn’t tell anyone, the dog squad will be here in a few days to ask permission to search for scats.”
“YOU ESPECIALLY MUSN’T TELL THEM WE HAVE BEEN HERE.”
http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2010/07/07/157205_tasmania-news.html
What everybody doesn’t seem to realise is the extent of this ... the Gatekeepers and those in charge actually control the game and the police and the gaols and City Hall…work the rest out for yourselves.
Since the evidence consists of scat with fox DNA present it would not be unreasonable to compare that DNA with DNA from the fox tails/pelts/ skeletons that adorn the Prospect offices the scat collectors work out of.
#26 before I get pulled up, I meant mid to late 2000’s..
A big Hi out there to all you fox sceptics,
I’ve seen one, a fox that is. In the Northern midlands.
I’ve lived in the UK and Victoria and know what one looks like.
It is unlikely you will see one in West Hobart through a fog of conspiratorial anger but there you go.
They exist here and it would be very , very bad if they got out of control.
Just like Macquarie island, humans have altered the environment and have a duty to minimise the impact of poor previous decision making.
If a few domestic pooches get knocked over in the process I’m afraid that’s just bad luck.
Simon [comment #26] in the absence of actual foxes being found that are responsible for these 63 DNA-positive scats found in Tasmania there is a recurring serious issue.
In 2008 the scat-detectors found 5 scats along the mid-north coast over an 11 month period - they were confirmed to be DNA-positive by Dr Sarre’s mtDNA faecal test and according to hair researcher, Barbara Triggs those scats contained fox hairs.
Now the assumption has been a scat that has both fox mtDNA and fox hairs in it must be defaecated by a fox. I would agree with that starting assumption; but the researchers have shown that other species of animals that have access to fox as part of their diet would also have scats that might be positive by both these methods [i.e. fox hair and fox DNA].
So the question or the Program is… were these 5 scats from resident foxes living on the NW coast and, if so what efforts we’re made to detect extra positive scats or evidence of fox habitation sites from that area?
Of course if there was no direct link between those scats and NW Tasmania, those scats would have to be in fox scats introduced from a place where foxes do occur.
No money is looted from treasury. Its re-distributed from the rich, borrowed (as currently) or printed from thin air.
Rich people pay for fox hunts they no longer attend.
The thing is, just what would the fox hunters in Tasmania do if there was no fox hunt?
I can’t see much point in the current method of hunting. Better to at least make it a tourist attraction. Horses, hounds, horns etc. Tourists may pay to participate. This would be worth the $5M/year.
Otherwise its a scam and persons who its a scam should stop doing it. It makes Tasmania look bad.
Let’s be clear - self-censorship over disclosure of corrupt activity is rife in our society.
We usually have to wait until everyone is laughing at the naked Emperor before those frightened self-censored individuals speak up and say: “We knew it all along, but we didn’t speak out!”.
“We were too frightened of the conseqences.”
That’s how our politics works!
A sad reflection on the human species. There is evil in this world; not because of the evil that humans do, but because others do nothing!
I congratulate Mr Rist for speaking out for the fearful and the intimidated.
Yes Ian, that does sound very suspicious, but also can it be a case of testing the scat dogs therefore scats were laid on properties and the owner was told not to tell the handler so he did not lead the dog toward the scat to pass the test?
Simon, yes I think that is the big issue. The data makes little sense. I would have thought they could have found scats DNA genotyped from the same animal at least once. Considering the inconsistencies from day 1 from FEP communications and evidence of the public of some questionable staff members, it is hard to trust that the scat collection process was reliable not contaminated somehow, even if by accident.
And maybe with tightening of these processes due to the criticism the program has received may explain the lack of scat positives in the last couple of years? (ie: less chance of contamination or forgery).
It is a fascinating issue tho. So many thoughts, so little facts.
Oh Dear #27 “What everybody doesn’t seem to realise is the extent of this ... the Gatekeepers and those in charge actually control the game and the police and the gaols and City Hall…work the rest out for yourselves.”
Brilliant stuff! Its not just scientists and those foxy Gatekeepers in the FEP, its government,its bureacracy,its the police, its the prisons….....I reckon its the United Nations as well, desperate to distract attention away from their failed Middle East efforts. And what about the Feds? The Prime Minister’s hair colour is very similar to that of a fox…work the rest out yourselves.
Foxy-loxy nice to know you are on duty again.
Yes Foxy-loxy a gate keeping government that got themselves in too deep a long time ago…
Funding became the heroin of this mendicant little government.
Foxy-Loxy has the particular strategem Mr Rist, if he can throw back your words to suggest a nutter ‘conspiracy thoery’ then he perhaps feels that public opinion will support the current money push for 5 more years of money to support the the fear of foxes campaign.
Rational analysis of what was on offer from DPIPWE and the IA-CRC on this fox program went out the window several years ago.
It should be pointed out that the first time the concept of a conspiracy theory was raised on the fox issue in Tasmania was in 2002 by none other than the Minister responsible for foxes, David Llewellyn who publicly alleged a conspiracy of Tasmanian shooters had smuggled in litters of foxes, reared them in captivity and released them. That conspracy thoery was investigated by Tasmania Police and demonstrated to be baseless.
The allegation was initiated by staff within Tasmanian Parks & Wildlife Service of DPIPWE in 2001 [FOI documents released to Senator Shayne Murphy 2002]. That’s also why MLC Tony Foster made such forceful and disparaging assault about the self-interest of PWS in Parliament in 2004 over what he termed ‘fox fraud’.
The only group in the community that don’t yet know about this misappropriation of public money to support a baseless ‘eradication’ program are the people who are paying the bills - the taxpayers!
This story in todays The Mercury is an insult to most Tasmanians,especially the professional shooters, recreational hunters, farmers, and most outdoor people.
http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2012/12/08/367891_most-popular-stories.html
All because there are some major funding decisions in the next few weeks!!!
As Jerry Maguire said “show me the money.”
Yes, Mr rist some sainted individuals on our little island are given ‘protected species status’. They are placed on pedestals with money showered onto them…. because let’s face, they are simply too Iconic to challenge.
It has mainly been about the money Mr Rist, because their jobs depend on it. Prestige and reputation also count here.
Fear of foxes trumps logical analysis every time… go no further than Professor Stephen Sarre‘s and Mr Craig Elliott‘s public comments in the last few weeks.
No doubt the hunt for ferals will continue. Its more important than treating illness in hospitals and providing housing for the poor. The people involved have no moral fibre whatsoever. Why should they? Without the $5M they may be unemployable. How dare the community make them do something useful! They exists so its their right to be supported by everyone else. Just like the rest of their relatives. Its been going on for generations. Why should people work? Its easier to just print the money.
Its difficult to see how this is going to change. Will the Greens or the LNP agree in writing to close the fox hunt and let go the $5M? No. They both want the money for some other boondoggle.
So the only solution is at least a fox hunt that attracts tourists. At least make this farce pay.
The story in todays Mercury shows the desperate lengths this Government will go to Mr Rist. The sceptics are not the conspiracy theorists here. Tasmanians will be insulted by this blatant display of fraudulent protectionism of the Fox Farce. Keep speaking up for those too intimidated to do so themselves Mr Rist, they need a voice.
I sense another Bosworth case awaits us, sitting gently on the horizon, drifting with the breeze until that moment when it washes up on our shores. Stay tuned.
Talking about public comments could some of you sensible people down Hobart way pplleeaasse tell the people writing in The Mercury (Letters today) that their claims of fox cubs being imported and released in the Northern Midlands in 1998-1999-2000 is either deceitful, dishonest or plain ignorant…for the nine hundred and ninety ninth time…IT DID NOT HAPPEN.
This is the whole bloody problem with this washed-up, badly thought out and stupid fox program…deceit, dishonesty and ignorance.
The government and the politicians that have supported this fox program should be ashamed of themselves, they are all no better than common thieves with no morals,principles or ethics.
You Tasmanians and your foxes.Why can’t you cry ‘wolf’ like everybody else?How many motion triggered cameras for how many years and for how much money?What a rort!Only in Tasmania.
Philip Lowe # 43. According to the Tasmanian Parliament Hansard 203 cameras, ten years of trying to snap a Tasmanian fox and some cameras in excess of 2000 camera hours.
Plenty of other wildlife,Devils, Quolls,etc but NO FOX.
Penelope Marshall #41 I think you are right on the money, another fox, alive, dead, drugged or mugged is sorely needed right now.
Be warned though my friends, the eyes and the ears of the bush are everywhere.
Any bets with odds anyone?
Mr Rist, don’t blame Mr Bob Holderness-Roddam for re-iterating these baseless and unsubstantiated comments about imported litters of fox cub being reared here and then released.
Continuing that deceptive storyline comes directly from a failure of DPIPWE and IA-CRC to correct a known falsehood.
These organisations [DPIPWE and IA-CRC] are unlikely to do that for the obvious and simple reason that that single reiterated deception (now stated in a number of peer-reviewed papers) was the foundation claim made by DPIPWE; namely that by 2001-2002 Tasmania had multiple foxes at large at three or four locations.
It was a claim made without any substance - a baseless/unsubstantiated and unproven allegation from a Tasmanian Government Department [DPIPWE] - but it was the hook for acquiring ongoing taxpayer money for the last 11 years. It was a sensational exaggeration - reiterated by a Minister of the Crown [David Llewellyn] even after he had received clear and unambiguous findings from his own Police Department. That same claim was used to deceive fox scientists in other parts of Australia.
How would you describe that behaviour, Mr Rist?
David # 45 I would describe that type of behaviour as devious and irresponsible, but it is a culture that infests that department and this government.
#45. Criminal, Dr Obendorf, criminal.
To rest this whole Fox farce on that one deception and still be squeezing it eleven years later for all that they can milk, well no one else would get away with it would they.
Penelope Marshall [comment #47] I have alleged that this was deceptive and misleading conduct and Mr Rist has requested an Australian Police Force investigation because if it were proven to be obtaining Commonwealth money by fabrication of evidence that would amount to criminal misconduct.
Looking at the avalanche of comments to the three fox stories that appeared in the Mercury last week, the general public are not buying this non-independent, hired-gun science commissioned by this Labor-Green Government. I can understand why a 14-year old Labor Government keeps peddling this crap; but why the Tasmanian Greens MPs keep supporting this 1080 poisoning without basis of proof is very hard to understand.
Re # 30
“A big Hi out there to all you fox sceptics”
Well Bob we may be the sceptics but you still haven’t collected a single fox! Not One!
I would say on the zero odds you hold we aren’t the sceptics and we aren’t the ones that have blood on their hands trying desperately to prove we are…for a few dollars more!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXeQHBm47j0
All those people out in the Tasmanian environs with guns, spotlights,cameras and traps…
don’t be so bloody silly.