A five day operation to shoot and trap wild horses, pigs, foxes and deer in Yuraygir National Park has been stopped in its tracks, after an eleventh hour dash to court forced the government to down tools just as the cull was due to begin.
The aerial and ground cull, planned for the park at Minnie Water in the Clarence Valley, was scheduled to start on Monday. It has now been postponed for at least two weeks after anti brumby culling advocate Carmen Jackson filed an urgent injunction in the Land and Environment Court at about 1am on Monday, with the matter adjourned to later that morning.
Ms Jackson said she was concerned National Parks and Wildlife did not have the statutory authority to carry out the culls, and said she does not support brumby control measures at all.
“Our brumbies are our Australian heritage, they’re also sentient beings on Country,” she said.
“I believe all animals have the right to be on Country. How do we signify that a brumby is less significant than a native animal on Country, considering they’ve been here 200 years.”
Justice Rachel Pepper adjourned the matter, telling the court final hearings would be held on 9 September to give both sides time to gather evidence.
“The undertaking has been given in good faith by the department, again at short notice and I do think the matter needs to be dealt with quickly for your sake, the animals in question and the department,” Justice Pepper said.
Speaking on behalf of the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, principal legal officer Nicholas Sandstrom told the court the department would suspend trappings and all operations until that date.
A spokesperson for the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service said the agency acknowledged the proceedings and would comply with any directions from the court, confirming all aerial, ground shooting and trapping operations in the national park and state conservation area would be suspended.
“Animal welfare is a high priority, and all operations are conducted under strict procedures,” the statement read.
“As the matter is before the court, it would be inappropriate to comment further.”
Community members gathered at Halfway Creek on Saturday ahead of the planned culls, calling for the operation to be scrapped and arguing the north coast brumby population was small.
State Nationals MP for Clarence Richie Williamson has welcomed the pause, having already written to NSW Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe asking National Parks to halt the planned aerial cull.
“I welcome the Government’s decision to pause these measures while the Court considers the matters before it,” Mr Williamson said.
“I also want the Government to consider all possible options for removing wild horses from Yuraygir National Park, including methods that do not involve shooting.
“The community deserves a comprehensive and considered approach to managing the wild horse population, and all practical alternatives should be properly assessed.”
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