Sessional Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development Written Submissions Received Volume 2 Issues associated with the progressive entry into the Northern Territory of Cane Toads October 2003
Tabled Paper 1123
Tabled Papers for 9th Assembly 2001 - 2005; Tabled Papers; ParliamentNT
2003-10-16
Tabled by Delia Lawrie
Made available by the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory under Standing Order 240. Where copyright subsists with a third party it remains with the original owner and permission may be required to reuse the material.
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https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00042
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/307061
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/346011
Parks & Wildlife Commission NT Written Submissions Cane Toad Inquiry Report Volume 2 8 vested interest in whats going on in the Territory because basically theyre next. Having said that remember they might not have that, that far up there list because its not there yet but certainly well have no hesitation at all about dealing with the Kimberly Land Council, the scientists from CALM, all agriculture Western Australian agriculture, whoevers most appropriate, as far as Im concerned this is a problem. Lets see what we can do about it. Dr WOINARSKI: Thats probably very much I guess the Territory taking the lead in that case, if youve got the research capability in the Kimberley, its miniscule in comparison to whats available here in Darwin and similarly I think land management in the Kimberley, on Aboriginal lands and pastoral lands its far less well resourced than it is in the Top End so its very much the Kimberley basically taking advantage of us I think which is a fine thing to do but its not at this stage an equitable arrangement. Madam CHAIR: In terms of the, some of the harm minimisation aspects on our species of fauna, the committees heard evidence that the Northern Quoll was I guess if you like on the most critical need response position but the dwarf fresh water crocodile in the high country around the Liverpool River area was deemed to be also a species thats in the sort of high danger zone. Id like to hear your comments on that and weve got goannas, snakes, the pig nosed turtle was discussed in terms of the Daly area, what sorts of responses do you think would be appropriate in terms of those sorts of species and one person suggested that it could be where you look at the smaller islands sanctuary for the quolls, thats worked and wouldnt work necessarily for goannas because of their perhaps impact on nesting sea birds but could the islands of Melville, Bathurst and Groote be potential for maintaining some species that are in the sort of high risk category? Dr LAWSON: Yes, they could, however with those larger islands youve got much more human traffic and where youve got more human traffic youve got greater danger of seeding if you like, with cane toads through accidental movements of them. Now we have already made some signage to try and help alert people to the fact that the islands are, need special protection. I think that effort should be bolstered but some of the species you mention, for instance theres very strong anecdotal evidence that King Brown Snakes are very much affected by cane toads. Now whereas some of the Tiwi Islands might have been very happy for us to move a few quolls, its quite something if you turn around and say can you go and foster a few King Browns. Mr BONSON: I suppose one of the things, why Im so interested I suppose Im hooked up now with this Western Australian concept is that a lot of the flora and fauna obviously is very similar to what weve got here in the Territory and if we were