A DIRECT approach by Western Queensland landholders to Premier Campbell Newman for funds to undertake a feasibility study into erecting a new wild dog barrier fence has hit gold, with the Premier announcing this week that his government would contribute $30,000 to the study.
Premier Newman made a flying visit to Barcaldine on Monday afternoon to meet with local graziers Bill Chandler and Rick Keogh to hear their case for a new stock-protection fence.
The Premier said it was one of the most sensible and worthwhile proposals he had received.
“They claim if we could get onto this we could save millions of dollars in lost production,” he said.
“Either I will fund it out of our emergency reserves or I will get the Minister for Agriculture to get us the money, but they will get the money, I assure you.”
The move follows a meeting of producers, local government representatives and industry leaders in Barcaldine at the beginning of the month that called for investigations to begin into a new barrier fence.
The working group set up as a result of the meeting challenged community leaders and government bodies to take a different approach to wild dog control, with their call for a stock-protection fence alongside the central west’s fast dwindling sheepgrowing region.
It was estimated at the meeting that Longreach, Barcaldine and Blackall-Tambo shires between them were outlaying about $1m each year on wild dog control.
Blackall stud sheep breeder Rick Keogh told the councillors present, “You may as well pick that money up and throw it in the bin – there’s no future there.”
He described the fence proposal as a game changer, saying precedents showed they worked in the past.
He welcomed Monday’s announcement, saying it was an endorsement by the Premier that wild dogs were not just a producer problem but a whole of community problem.
Mr Newman said the agenda was to build up Queensland’s wool industry because it would be great for western regional towns as well as people on the land.
“There is no reason for us to see it as a dying industry. It is one that should be built up – the land is here, the resource is here – we have just got to put in place some sensible measures,” he said.
“This is the sort of project that could give a proper return to the people of Queensland.
“Something like this could take a year or two to build with the right resources, but it will be in place in 40 or 50 years.
“It will give great service, given the cost of the investment.”
Early estimates put the cost of a fence at $6m to $8m, covering about 800km from Windorah and then through parts of the Longreach, Barcaldine and Blackall-Tambo shires.
Mr Newman said his government did not have funding for a fence at this stage, but said measures could be looked into down the track.
The Remote Area Planning and Development Board has given in-principle support to assist with funding for the fence’s feasibility study.
