Member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster MP says she is dismayed that Labor has let the feral cats out of the bag by failing to commit funding in their ‘war on feral cats’ while the Agriculture Minister Murray Watt presides over a go-slow on adequate mouse baiting.

“Labor never fired a shot in their war on feral cats.  In September the Minister said ‘if we don’t act now, our native animals don’t stand a chance’ saying that cats ‘kill six million animals every night in Australia.’ However, this month’s Federal Budget did not allocate any funding over the next four years for this ‘war’ on feral cats.

Before the last Federal Election, with the former Coalition Government announced $724,547 in funding in Mallee alone under its Threatened Species Strategy Action Plan. The funded measures included initiatives to improve feral cat and fox management to reduce the impact of these invasive predators on the South-eastern Red-Tailed Black Cockatoo and Black-eared Miner.

In the middle of 2023 federal authorities approved the use of the robotic ‘Felixer’ grooming trap to tackle feral cats with initial trials in Western Australia. The former Coalition government made Felixer commercially possible thanks to $1.2 million grant from the Environment Restoration Fund. Rather than accelerate a Felixer roll-out, the Albanese Labor Government has been consulting on a new action plan to stop feral cats from decimating native wildlife and driving vulnerable native species to the brink of extinction.

“Meanwhile, with hopeful rains on our cropping farmers, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) still haven’t decided on continuing the 50 gram per kilogram double-strength zinc phosphide baits for mice.  Agriculture Minister Murray Watt responded to my letter to him over a month ago saying the decision would happen shortly, yet here we are with seed in the ground and no decision.”

Grain Producers Australia (GPA) had applied for their permit to be renewed for the double-strength baits as farmers consider them effective, but normal-strength baits ineffective. GPA’s permit expired on 31 December but despite GPA’s consistent advocacy, the APVMA still have not made a decision.

A recent GPA grower survey indicated 78 per cent of farmers had lower crop yields due to mice in the past two years. Sixty four (64) per cent had used the double-strength ZP50 in 2023.

“We see Labor big on rhetoric but missing-in-action when it comes to delivery on protecting the environment and our crops.”

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