Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask a question of the Minister representing the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. The minister will be aware from the motion passed in the Senate yesterday of the death of a young person in Queensland as a result of contracting lyssavirus from flying foxes. At estimates on 12 February 2013, departmental officials advised me that a flying fox count from 14 to 16 February this year. Can the minister advise the Senate of the progress of that count and whether early returns show that the species, particularly the grey-headed flying fox and the spectacled flying fox, are anything but rare and vulnerable?

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for that very detailed question. It was almost about a policy. The Australian government is continuing to streamline regulation for dealing with problematic flying fox counts. The government understands that there are common concerns about hendra virus and lyssavirus and recognises the need to ensure the safety of local communities while protecting our unique natural environment. Minister Burke is aware that on 22 February 2013 an eight-year-old boy died after being infected with the Australian bat lyssavirus. This is the third case of this virus to be confirmed in Australia and the first since 1998. This disease can be carried by any bat or flying fox in Australia. The most effective way to avoid this virus is to avoid handling bats or flying foxes. Only people trained in the care of bats should handle bats or flying foxes.

As to the specifics of the monitoring program, the first national count under the National Flying Fox Monitoring Program was held from 14 to 16 February 2013. The Australian government is working with CSIRO and state agencies to count animals in every known roosting site of the grey-headed and the spectacled flying fox four times a year. The program will improve data on the population status, the trend and the risks associated with flying foxes. The data will help to manage the potential impact of flying foxes on agriculture and public health, while recognising the important role as pollinators in our native forests. The Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities funded CSIRO initially to develop the monitoring methodology and has provided an additional $700,000 from the National Environmental Research Program and another— (Time expired)

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Because of the federal government's classification of the spectacled flying fox as vulnerable, residents trying to protect their families and homes from these flying foxes are threatened with fines of up to $100,000 and jail terms for doing just that. In view of the threatening nature of the infestation of urban areas by flying foxes in places like Yungaburra, Cairns, Charters Towers and Inverell, what is the government doing to enable flying foxes to be moved on to non-urban routes as a matter of urgency? This is a matter of life and death, Minister.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I was saying, another $795,000 to implement the program was provided by the Australian, New South Wales and Queensland governments through various virus research programs. There are 76 species of bats and flying foxes in Australia, all principally regulated under state and territory law. The national environment law applies to 11 of these which are considered threatened at the national level. Two mainland flying fox species are listed as threatened under the EPBC Act—the grey-headed flying fox and the spectacled flying fox. Community concerns centre on flying fox camps in urban areas. Action to disperse flying fox camps has the lowest environmental impact in winter, outside the breeding season and when temperatures are lower. Between 1994 and 2009, seven people have contracted the hendra virus following contact with an infected horse and four people have died. (Time expired)

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. I appreciate the minister's answer but I ask the minister: does not he or the minister he represents understand that this is a matter of life and death? We do not want to wait for counts or other research. This is happening now. What I am asking the minister to do, as the Senate motion did yesterday, is to do something urgently about the Commonwealth classification of this species as vulnerable. It is clearly not vulnerable. Can the minister give an undertaking to do something now to save lives? (Time expired)

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I utterly reject any imputation that Minister Burke does not take this matter seriously—I absolutely reject it. In June 2012, the Queensland member for Dalrymple, Mr Shane Knuth MP, introduced a private member's bill to empower landowners to cull or drive away flying foxes. The Queensland Minister for Environment and Heritage Protection, the Hon. Andrew Powell, has said the LNP has clearly outlined the flying fox management policy which aims to balance community safety and wildlife protection and would therefore not be supportive of—

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on point of order on the grounds of relevance. I am not asking about another government. I am asking this minister about his government. Under the EPBC Act, which his minister administers, the flying fox is listed as vulnerable, which is stopping state governments doing anything. I ask the minister to return to the question about what the Commonwealth is doing, not what other governments are doing.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister needs to address the question.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the specific issue that you raised in your further supplementary question, I am happy to take that on notice to see whether there is any further information the minister can provide.