Australian Wool Innovation will increase its wild dog coordination spend by 20 per cent over the next three years, to attempt to increase participation in control programs, and create three part-time positions in Queensland.
Program manager Ian Evans made the announcement following last week’s QDOG meeting in Charleville, which devoted a lot of time to the subject.
“At most meetings, someone invariably says you’ve got to make people bait,” Mr Evans said. “If that was going to work, good, but there must be a reason governments at all levels don’t get into regulatory activity.”
He described the new positions as extending conversations with people.
Through AgForce, AWI already partly funds a similar job undertaken by Brett Carlsson in Far North Queensland, and Mr Evans said that through him and the new positions, it was intended to extend the issue of wild dog control in the cattle industry.
“We know, from speaking with well-informed cattle managers, that dogs do cost that industry money, including hide, carcase and udder damage, and decrease their value at the point of sale.
“In the current market, this is a significant issue.”
In the communique issued by QDOG following its March meeting, it was noted that while there had been a significant increase in local wild dog committees since 2011, the lack of participation in wild dog control remained a major issue.
QDOG chairman Dave Edwards said the main wild dog problems in Queensland boiled down to people and participation.
“You just can’t get enough,” he said. “A northern council has 67 per cent participation in its baiting programs whereas one east of (Charleville) only has 20 per cent in control programs.”
He said it had been good to hear of new coordinators at the meeting, to join the government officers stationed at Beaudesert, Nambour and Blackall.
The communique noted that over 600 participants had taken part in AgForce trapping days at Wandoan, Cunnamulla, Eulo, Tambo, Jericho and Ilfracombe.
Mr Evans said there had been a marked increase in Queensland in requests for support from AWI’s Community Wild Dog Control Initiative, especially from cluster groups, “to allow them to get through the heavy lifting” of removing dogs once an area had been enclosed.
“This week we’ll be announcing funds for the first of those groups, to give them a chance of cleaning out, by trapping or whatever’s necessary, once they put up the fences and close the gates.”
According to the AWI webpage, funding can be directed by groups to fill gaps they have identified in their control plans, and particular emphasis is placed on assisting groups to become self-sufficient in the longer term.
Mr Evans said the average grant across Australia was $20,000.
Management strategy to be renewed
The issue of participation will be revisited when QDOG undertakes its review of the Wild Dog Management Strategy 2011-2016, and prepares a new five-year plan.
QDOG chairman Dave Edwards said a complete review of the strategy would be undertaken at the group’s next meeting, on November 23.
“We’ve been looking at it in the meantime,” he said.
“It’s our guiding mechanism and lists what we hope to achieve, plus roles and responsibilities.
“I don’t think there will be a lot that will need changing, maybe new and improved ways to bait.”
Mr Edwards said all key stakeholders would get to comment, and they would be brought to the QDOG committee.