The Tasmanian Conservation Trust today condemned the Tasmanian Liberal Government’s decision to continue the use of 1080 poison for controlling native animals, in particular wallabies and brush-tailed possums.
The TCT Director Peter McGlone called on the state government to reconsider this short-sighted decision because of the extreme suffering it will cause native animals, the damage it will do to the Tasmanian agricultural brand and because practical and more humane alternatives exist – and are being used by the vast majority of farmers and the whole forestry industry.
Mr McGlone said that: ‘Wallabies and possums take hours to die an agonising death from 1080 poison (possums up to 11 hours). Joeys in their mother’s pouch generally do not died from the poison but take days to die from cold, dehydration or starvation. There is also a risk that non-target animals, e.g. eastern quoll or Tasmanian bettong, may die from eating baits or eating animals poisoned by 1080 baits.
‘Alternatives clearly exist because the vast majority of farmers and the entire forestry industry are not using 1080 poison and are coping with alternatives, in particular using wallaby fencing and professional shooters.’
The Minister Jeremy Rockliff has today released figures that over the last few years only 20-40 farmers per year are using 1080 poison state-wide for native animals. The Department of Primary Industries has previously told the TCT that 1080 use hit an all time low in 2012-13 with only 14 farmers receiving permits and no forestry companies.
‘By releasing these figures the minister is admitting that the vast majority of Tasmania’s thousands of farmers do not use 1080 poison and are using alternatives.
‘The government’s decision to defend the right of this very small minority of farmers to use 1080 will have the potential to damage the majority of farmers by potentially turning customers off Tasmanian products.
‘The government’s decision to continue the use of this cruel poison may backfire as it may give mainland farmers a competitive advantage over Tasmanian farmers.
‘The TCT will certainly be doing all we can to inform Tasmanian and mainland customers of the continued use of 1080 and we will encourage animal welfare groups to expose the suffering in the same way they have with live animal exports.
‘Over the last three years the Browsing Animal Control Program has been very successful at delivering practical and cost efficient alternatives for farmers that are more humane and the state government would be better to increase resources for this program rather than continue 1080 poison use.’
Peter McGlone Director Tasmanian Conservation Trust
