NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service rangers are overwhelmingly opposed to the state government’s plan to allow hunting in some of the state’s national parks, a survey has shown.
The Public Service Association survey released last Saturday found 96 percent of rangers did not support hunting in national parks and 93 per cent did not believe the new law would serve its intended purpose of helping control feral pests.
The state government announced in June it would open up 79 national parks and reserves for recreational hunting of feral animals in return for Shooters and Fishers Party support of electricity privatisation.
National Parks Association south Sydney secretary Gary Schoer said the survey findings were not surprising.
‘‘This program won’t achieve what it is setting out to achieve. Doing something positive about feral pest control is the last thing on the agenda for these people,’’ Mr Schoer said.
The survey found some hunters believed the new laws were already in effect, with 15 percent of rangers claiming they had observed an increase in illegal hunting since the bill was introduced.
One park ranger noted a group of hunters found in Wollemi National Park claimed they believed a new law had been passed allowing them to hunt while two other rangers were quoted in the survey as saying hunters believed they could enter national parks to hunt.
However, Environment Minister Robyn Parker challenged the survey’s findings and said the service advised her it had found no evidence of an increase in shooting incidents since the Game and Feral Animal Act was passed by Parliament.
‘‘Unauthorised shooting in national parks by members of the public is illegal and will remain so under the proposed new program,’’ Ms Parker said.
The survey also identified rangers’ dismay at having to supervise recreational hunters. ‘‘We do not want safaris and I am not a safari guide,’’ one ranger said.
Another ranger said park rangers did not have time to supervise hunters on top of existing duties.
Ms Parker said the government made it clear there would be no licensed shooting by the public in any metropolitan national park, including the Royal, or other national parks in St George, Sutherland Shire and the Illawarra.
Ms Parker said rangers had dealt with the problem of illegal hunting for many years and there had been 25 conviction for hunting-related offences in 2011-12.
The Royal was identified in the survey as one of the state’s hot spots for illegal hunting.
Mr Schoer, who was on the deer working party for the Royal, said he was worried illegal hunting would increase in light of the bill and the park would one day host hunters.
‘‘Even though we don’t have the Royal National Park listed for hunting you can be absolutely certain recreational hunters out there will push the envelope,’’ he said.
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