UNCERTAINTY about the value of a western Queensland wild dog check fence proposal was more pronounced at the Barcaldine leg of the consultation phase, if voting indications are anything to go by.
Of the nearly 50 fresh attendees at Tuesday’s meeting, 36 indicated their support for the $13 million 1400km exclusion fence circling much of the west’s best sheep country, while 11 said they were undecided.
One person opposed the proposal outright.
This is in contrast to results from earlier consultation meetings, where people were firmly in favour of the idea to erect a new barrier fence to stem the flow of wild dogs from the east.
At Yaraka last week, 17 people indicated their support for a multi-shire control fence and three said they were undecided.
The ratio at Isisford was 13:1 and at Longreach it was 45:1.
Questions about the ability to control the wild dogs that would be caught inside any fence built, the ongoing desire to keep up maintenance, and the impact on graziers on the immediate outside boundary of a fence were the main concerns raised at Barcaldine.
These were contrasted with the urgent need to stop both the predation on livestock and the drain of money and people from regional communities, and the advantage a hard asset gave for control.
Very few concerns were raised about the proposed funding model at Barcaldine.
The current scenario would see federal and state governments each putting in $4.3m over two years, while graziers inside the fence would be asked to come up with $4.4m over 15 years.
The amount levied per property would be linked to its unimproved capital value, not stocking rate.
The steering committee suggested that this be collected by local government.
Billed as consultation, the meetings taking place at Barcaldine and elsewhere around the central west were always going to bring forth lots of question, but check fence steering committee member Dom Burden said that while there were challenges for the committee to address, it was a great problem to have in a way.
Fellow committee member Mike Pratt said that benefits might not be immediately apparent but it was something the next generation would benefit from.
Other meetings this week took place at Winton and Muttaburra while towns scheduled for meetings next week are Blackall, Stonehenge and Aramac.
What the people said about the western Queensland check fence proposal at Barcaldine:
Shane Story, fencing contractor, Jericho: I have cattle at my place on agistment and I have seen what dogs can do to livestock. My young fellow has a big wing of traps out and averages four dogs a week on our place alone. For every four you see, that’s 10 you don’t see. I think $13m isn’t a great expense these days and will be worth it. Everything comes at a cost.
Sue Walton, Rippa Tipper Earthmoving, Barcaldine: We badly need to turn around the erosion of confidence that’s happening, but I question the benefit of this model versus an incentivised model targeting individual producers, something that could be done through QRAA. I’m looking at the best value for money in the short and long term and feel there could be issues around maintenance in the long term.
Frank Manwaring, Ballygar, Aramac: I gave sheep away 10 years ago. I only run cattle now. They should never have scrapped the old fence. I’m absolutely in support of this – it was a very good buffer. With a fence plus trapping and poisoning together, you can clean areas right out.
Bryson Hawkins, Taree, Aramac: It’s a good idea but it’s a long term thing. The dog problem inside won’t go away overnight and people’s management won’t be any different to what it is now – there’s always some who’ll do nothing. Because no more will be coming in, I think we’ll eventually get on top of it this way. The payment seems fair. You don’t have to lose many stock to have lost $1500.
Dave McKenzie, Mildura, Barcaldine: A lot of thought has gone into this. Something has to be done. If you do nothing you jeopardise the whole rural outlook. The hardest thing will be getting the corporate governance right, the maintenance and payments.
Wally Miller, Coreena, Barcaldine: I think the area is too big, we won’t ever clean up the dogs on the inside. There were no answers today on how to do it. We employ a dogger in a syndicate – he’s caught 660 dogs in three years over 10 properties. Last year we lost at least 100 lambs in one go and we’re putting up a fence. I think the idea of a cluster fence is best, a scheme something like GABSI. Others can build off it.
Anne Sprague, Neverfail, Blackall: I’m concerned about the cost and the benefit. We would probably have one block inside and one out and I fear we might get forgotten about. I truly believe dogs aren’t just coming from the east anymore, they’re established in the sheep areas now. The best control we had was 25 years ago when everyone did something. We’ve got to get back to that.