Thursday 30 April 2020
Hansard of the Legislative Council

Fallow Deer - Culling - Cattle Hill Wind Farm

Mr FINCH to LEADER of the GOVERNMENT in the LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, Mrs HISCUTT

Could the Government confirm that it has approved a cull of fallow deer at the Cattle Hill Wind Farm site and that 1500 carcasses will be buried?

ANSWER

Mr President, I thank the member for Rosevears for his question.  As this is not a COVID-19 question, I seek leave to table the answer and have it incorporated in the Hansard.

Leave granted.

The incorporated answer read as follows -

The Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment recently issued crop protection permits for the farming property on which the Cattle Hill Wind Farm is located. These permits authorise the taking of up to one hundred immature male fallow deer and an unspecified number of antlerless fallow deer on the property in accordance with provisions of the Wildlife (General) Regulations 2010.

I am advised that the landowner's intention is that the deer will be shot by game hunters who will retrieve all carcasses and bone out the meat for personal consumption. Deer skeletons and offal will be buried in pits on the property, meeting the requirements of the Animal Health Act 1995. I am further advised that it is not their intent that whole deer carcasses will be buried.