ESTIMATES COMMITTEE PROCEEDINGS – 17 JUNE 2010
Mr GRANT: I do appreciate that, minister, but the question relates to the fact that these are annual
plans that are put in place to manage our natural resources. We have gone from, my understanding
is, less than probably a couple of hundred thousand camels 10 years ago to a million camels today.
Where has it gone wrong? How have we got to a million camels if they have not been managed?
Mr HAMPTON: They have been managed. As I have said in the past, they have been managed in
relation to individual landowners and what we now have is a national action to manage them and to
eradicate the numbers. As you said, they are prolific breeders. They are prolific wanderers. They do
not know state boundaries. They will travel anywhere according to water sources and I will get Mr Jim
Grant to maybe add a bit further to that.
Mr GRANT: They have all come in from Western Australia.
Mr HAMPTON: Yes.
Mr GRANT: I just endorse what the minister says. The pastoral land, Aboriginal land and our parks
make up a very small part of the camel problem. They cross state boundaries, and they cross
(inaudible). But I would say a tiny fraction of the camels in central Australia are in national parks.
Mr CHANDLER: Okay. Can the minister advise how the department is going to manage the crocodile
exclusion zone given it has not been provided with additional human resources?
Mr HAMPTON: With regard to crocodile management, where you do have the crocodile management
plan that was signed off by the federal minister as it has to be under that legislation, they are a
protected species and in terms of the economic use of that animal and in terms of protecting it, that is
what the crocodile management plan does. It terms of the safety issues with crocodiles, particularly in
the Top End and the Darwin harbour area, we did announce last year, an extension to that Croc
Management Zone a 50 kilometre management zone in and around Darwin harbour.
We have managed it in terms of our current resources with the croc management team, Tommy
Nichols and the crew do a fantastic job …
A member: Hear! Hear!
Mr HAMPTON: … and we have also provided an extra croc boat last year as part of the Croc Wise
strategy. We have provided an additional 20 traps to be placed around the Darwin harbour within that
50 kilometre management zone and, as you know, we did go out to expressions of interest to see
what interest is out there in the private sector in terms of further management of that 50 kilometre
zone.
That is where it is at. The expressions of interest have come back. We had seven people express an
interest. Those expressions of interest are still with my department and we are assessing those as we
speak but I am not sure if Mr Grant has anything further to add. I think our efforts in terms of crocodile
management, particularly in the Darwin harbour area, has been fairly significant to date.
Mr GRANT: I think we are still concluding that process but we are very close to completing it.
Mr CHANDLER: My worry is that, while it is fantastic that we have additional boats, 20 additional
traps which are all valuable resources for the staff to use, but, to me, that is just adding to their job
and we have not seemed to add to their human resources capability.
Mr HAMPTON: Just in terms of our Croc Management Plan as well that was signed off by the federal
minister in September last year.
As I said, it is important that there is an economic opportunity here as well and with that management
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE PROCEEDINGS – 17 JUNE 2010
plan there was an increase in the egg harvesting and a ceiling to 50 000 live eggs. That is in the first
two years of the plan’s five year life, increasing to 60 000 live eggs in subsequent two years and,
finally, to 70 000 eggs in the last year.
But in managing the population, that is a very important part of managing the population growth that
we see with crocodiles.
Mr CHANDLER: Minister, can you please advise that traditional owners have been consulted in
regards to the crocodile management plan?
Mr HAMPTON: In terms of the federal government plan or the Croc Wise plan?
Mr CHANDLER: The current plan that you are talking about now?
Mr HAMPTON: Certainly, as far as I am aware, but I am happy for Mr Grant to talk about the process
of where we have got to with the Croc Management Plan.
Mr GRANT: I might, if it is okay, refer that to John.
Mr WOINARSKI: Woinarski, Director of Biodiversity Conservation. The management plan for
saltwater crocodiles went through a series of public consultations including detailed consultations with
land owners. We revised the plan in light of those commentaries and comments from the Australian
department of Environment. We explicitly sought to provide, or to facilitate, economic development on
Aboriginal lands through the crocodile management plan, through provision of egg allocations,
particularly in Aboriginal lands. Any such harvesting economic development on those lands through
the crocodile industry must be regulated through the Northern Land Council. So, all landowners are
involved in that process as well, through the land council.
Mr HAMPTON: Can I also add there have been efforts to get a group of traditional owners together
on a board and looking at the management of crocodiles. I have met with them on a couple of
occasions, as early as this year, and they are very keen to get involved. I have put to that group of
traditional owners as well, that I would be really keen to get their advice on not only a federal
government’s and our crocodile management plan, of how we manage the population and the
economic benefits, but also in Crocwise, the strategy and safety. When I met with them, I put that to
them, and I will continue to work with them as well.
Mr CHANDLER: I have a few questions in regard to some of the issues with eggs and product gained
across jurisdiction into Queensland and so forth.
Mr HAMPTON: All right.
Mr CHANDLER: I might put them in a letter to you, and you just answer them that way, if that is
okay? Can you advise when the last census was conducted on the Mary River system in regard to
crocodile numbers?
Mr HAMPTON: I am happy to give this to Mr Woinarski to answer that one.
Mr WOINARSKI: Yes, last year.
Mr CHANDLER: Last year? Excellent.
Mr WOINARSKI: Yes.
Mr CHANDLER: And how much of the current budget is directed to crocodile research?
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