“Local communities are the heart of pest management arrangements,” natural resources commissioner John Keniry said.  

“Our review has found that cross tenure work needs to be supported by on-ground coordinators, good strategies and plans, strong enforcement and world leading research.”

The draft report is in response to a request from the Premier of NSW to undertake an independent, state-wide review of pest animal management in NSW.

Progress has been made in pest animal management in NSW but more work is required if the risks from future incursions are to be addressed and the impacts of established pests reduced.

“Addressing new and emerging risks and risk pathways, ongoing surveillance, and ensuring funds are readily available to allow for rapid response is critical,” Dr Keniry said.

In NSW pest animals cause considerable stress in communities. 

It is hard to measure, but even conservative estimates indicate NSW farmers spend around $22million to manage pest animals per year, while the total annual economic impact of pest animals in NSW is conservatively estimated to be $170million. Pest animals also effect 40 per cent of all listed threatened species.

The draft findings cover pests that have long been causing problems for landholders such as wild dogs, pigs, foxes and rabbits, and addressing the impacts associated with other introduced animals that have been around a long time but are more recently a cause for concern.

The commission is inviting public feedback on the draft report before finalising its recommendations to the NSW government by the end of June 2016.

The commission will also host six public meetings across NSW next month to provide communities the opportunity to have input to pest animal management reform, including one on May 3 at the Shoalhaven Ex-Servicemen’s Club, Nowra. 

For more information on the report, making a submission or attending a meeting visit www.nrc.nsw.gov.au/pest-animal-management.