ALTHOUGH two of the four councils involved in the multi-shire check fence proposal in western Queensland have broken away from supporting the exclusion project, its organising committee is forging ahead with its plan, with the backing of federal and state representatives.
Barcaldine and Blackall-Tambo Regional Councils voted in February to support a resolution by the Central West Pest Management committee and supported by the Remote Area Planning and Development Board to lobby governments for money for cluster fencing projects and linking strategic fencing, rather than the larger multi-shire proposal.
The Blackall-Tambo motion referred specifically to support for models along the lines of the cluster projects being undertaken by the South West NRM and said similar area management projects in the central west should be auspiced by RAPAD.
In contrast, Longreach Regional and Barcoo Shire Councils have since rejected RAPAD’s lean towards cluster fencing, despite their representatives initially supporting it at the regional pest management meeting.
Longreach councillors unanimously voted to urgently move the multi-shire project forward to lobby for funding.
Check fence representative Dom Burden said the group was now forming a working group with the cooperative councils to progress the idea.
“We need to better define the project, how to finance capital funding and a mechanism for maintenance funding,” he said.
“That’s what brings councils into the project. They’ve got enough to do but they’re best placed to raise the funds through a levy.”
While he welcomed Blackall-Tambo and Barcaldine councils back to the fold if they were to change their minds, he said they would have to do so reasonably quickly.
The alignment of the proposed fence would now have to change, which would affect its overall length.
Mr Burden said the advantage of a smaller area was the greater potential for enhancement of current control measures and for new projects.
He understood from state Agriculture Minister Bill Byrne’s recent visit to the area that state funding was limited but said the group would be seeking financial support from state and federal levels.
Member for Gregory Lachlan Millar said he would also help to engage with both Mr Byrne and the Prime Minister to convince them of the necessity of the all-encompassing project for the well-being of western communities in general.
“There’s been a lot of talk and we need to get on with it now,” he said.
“I hope Blackall-Tambo and Barcaldine will reconsider but we’ve got to start fencing the areas that do want to be involved and do it now.
“It’s really the only option on the table. Individuals are fencing but governments need to commit to rebirthing the wool industry as a whole.
“It made an economic contribution that had effects on whole towns, pubs, schools, hardware shops, hairdressers, you name it.”
He said people were yet to discover where Mr Byrne and the new state government stood on the issue.
Sally Cripps
Journalist
Journalist
