Alby Schultz (Hume, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I have over the years had serious complaints from fruit growers who have experienced fruit bats for the first time in living memory in their areas. The bats are now so bad and have been pushed so far inland that they are now being seen in places like Gundagai, where bats have never been an issue in the past. Part of the root cause that the member for Page alluded to is the absolute disgraceful lack of planning in New South Wales where they have allowed development to occur in the natural environmental areas for these bats. The bats have been pushed inland. It does not take away the serious problem that it creates for the community and it certainly does not take away from the very serious issue that has been raised by the member for Cowper. If nothing else, his decision to bring this to the parliament is going to send a very compelling message to the community that the governments of the day not only should listen to complaints of a very serious nature centred on these animals but really should take some action on it. There is a serious issue centred on the possibility of health problems associated with these bats, be it all miniscule.

No responsibility has been taken by governments at any level for the additional costs associated with these animals destroying fruit crops, in particular stone fruit crops, that have never been destroyed before. Not only has it put an additional cost on the New South Wales Department of Education to install air-conditioners so that people do not have to smell and be subjected to the unpleasantries associated with these animals but, more importantly, it has put an additional cost on people going about their normal bona fide businesses trying to grow fruit. There is a widespread problem associated with these creatures. When I was a member of the Greiner government, I know from my, I think it was, six-year fight with the New South Wales department against the process of shutting down national parks to the community that there is a tendency for those people who have some environmental credentials to ignore the reality of the numbers of these animals that are coming into the community—up to 50,000 colonies—and the absolute problems that they bring to these communities.

The department uses the argument that they are protected. I am not sure what levels the environmental protection centred on animals such as these flying foxes has reached, but people have to also consider the unintended consequences of these animals coming in and creating problems in places likes schools. It is about time the state government and the federal government got their heads together, identified the problems and did something positive as an example of what can be done when uncontrolled housing development pushes these animals out of their natural habitat into areas where they have never been seen before, creating undue angst in the community and, most importantly, potential health risks for children in particular. (Time expired)

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