Australia -1080 poison Tasmanian Govt reply

[Guest guest]

Here is the reply I received from Premier Jim Bacon.

Obviously the Tasmanian Government values tree plantations above

the lives of wildlife. Interestingly, Premier Bacon says that the

Tasmanian Government does not use the 1080 to control quolls.

I wonder if he understands the fact that non-target animals are eating the

1080 baits and dying horrific deaths and secondly, the use of 1080 to kill

any wildlife if unacceptably cruel . If anyone else wants to write

a reply here are the details. (Even the Commonwealth Minister for

Environment

said he wished the use of 1080 in Tasmania would stop according to the

7.30 report)

 

 

 

(Received July 5th from Premier Jim Bacon, Tasmania, Australia)

 

Dear Ms Wegner

 

Thank you for your recent email regarding the use of 1080 poison.

The Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment (DPIWE)

strictly supervises the use of 1080 poison in Tasmania under a number of

different Acts of Parliament and a comprehensive code of practice. At

present, 1080 poison is used in Tasmania for the control of rabbits,

Bushtail Possum, Bennetts and Rufous Wallaby, which conservatively account

for losses due to browsing of between $4.5m and $6.0m per annum in

agricultural areas and $2.8m per annum in forests. Contrary to the recent

'7.30 Report' on ABC TV, 1080 poison is not used in Tasmania to control

Native Quolls.

Tasmania is not alone in using 1080 poison. It is a product widely used in

all States and Territories of Australia and in New Zealand. Nationally,

Australia uses in excess of 110 kilograms of 1080 each year, less than 15%

of this is used in Tasmania. Senator Hill's own Department (Environment

and Heritage) relies heavily on the use of this poison for the protection

of some of Australia's rare and endangered species from introduced

predators.

The controls on the poison's use in Tasmania are considered to be as

stringent, if not more so, than in other States, Territories and New

Zealand.

It is important to remember that DPIWE has an extremely good record in the

use of 1080 poison. Human health has not been compromised by the

Department's use of the poison since it was first used for rabbit control

in the early 1950s.

While the Government supports the use of 1080 we realise non-lethal methods

of control would be preferable, if proved to be effective. To this end the

Government is involved in studies exploring alternatives and ways to reduce

the amount of 1080 poison used in Tasmania. The DPIWE, along with the

State's forest industries and Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association,

has a strong desire to find alternative non-lethal methods to reduce the

amount of browsing caused by native species. They are doing this by

investing time and resources into researching a number of alternatives to

1080 poison use.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Jim Bacon MHA

Premier

 

At 08:48 AM 7/06/2001 +0800, you wrote:>Mrs Marguerite Wegner,>P.O. Box

30,

>Riverton,>Western Australia 6148>>

 

To:Premier Jim Bacon,

Tasmanian Government,

GPO Box 123,

Hobart,

Tasmania

Australia 7001

jim.bacon

Fax +61 3 6233 2678

Phone +61 3 6233 3836

7th June 2001

 

Dear Premier Bacon,

>

>Please ban the use of 1080 as an animal poison in Tasmania immediately.>

>In a recent " 7.30 report " program on ABC TV, 17/04/01, Maxine McKew quoted

>Senator Robert Hill, Federal Minister for the Environment as saying he'd

>like to see the day the poison is no longer used [in Tasmania].>

>The 7.30 Report said that in Tasmania, the systematic use of the poison

1080

>killed thousands of possums, quolls, wallaby and pademelons.>

>The 7.30 Report interviewed Geoff Law of the Wilderness Society who says

" It's because of this massive woodchip plantation's juggernaut that there is

>this reliance on this deadly poison. " >

>John Haywood, an animal rescuer was also interviewed by the 7.30 report. He

>said " On an individual level it's cruel both to the animals poisoned and to

the

>large numbers of pouched young that are left to starve or die of

exposure. " >

>John Haywood also said [in Tasmania] you can be fined $5,000-$10,000 for

>rescuing an orphaned animal yet it's comparatively easy, you know, to get a

>permit to poison them.>

>I have heard anecdotal evidence saying animals dying of 1080 poisoning have

>been found in

>positions indicating they suffered terrible painful deaths. There were

>anecdotal reports of native animals having pawed at the ground in agony as

>they die.>

>Please ban the use of 1080 in Tasmania now. The poison causes a cruel and

>inhumane

>death to Australian native animals and may also find its way into the food

>chain to poison other animals including birds of prey, dogs and cats.>>

>Regards,>>>Marguerite Wegner>