Summary
Through a Terms of Reference, the NSW Premier requested that the Natural Resources Commission conduct an independent, state-wide review of the management of pest animals in NSW.
Our review focused on introduced terrestrial and freshwater vertebrate pest species only. Native animals and animals in the marine environment were not included. The review identified opportunities to improve pest animal management across all land tenures for environmental, economic and social benefits.
The Terms of Reference also required that the Commission chair an advisory committee to inform the review. The Advisory Committee comprised:
- Dr John Keniry (Chair) - Commissioner, Natural Resources Commission
- Dr Bruce Christie – NSW Department of Primary Industries
- Mr Tom Gavel – Local Land Services
- Mr Terry Korn - Independent expert
- Mr Robert Quirk – NSW Office of Environment and Heritage.
In October 2015, we released an issues paper introducing priority issues, good practices and improvement opportunities. We received 176 submissions from the community and stakeholders.
In March 2016, we released a draft report outlining draft recommendations and received 400 submissions from the community and stakeholders.
In August 2016, we provided its final report (titled "Shared, problem, shared solutions: State-wide review of pest animal management") to the Government. The final report was informed by over 100 research publications, close to 600 submissions, and interviews with public and private stakeholders.
We used the findings of this review to develop 33 formal recommendations to the NSW Government. These recommendations intended to help secure the long-term productivity, biosecurity and biodiversity of NSW. Further, the review aimed to guide government, land managers and other stakeholders in managing the increasingly complex problem of pest animals across the state.
The recommendations were developed to address pest management in the context of a future, more urbanised, more globally connected NSW with its increased risk exposure. We saw clear economic, social and environmental benefits in NSW, adopting a more strategic and people-centric approach to securing NSW’s biosecurity future.
In May 2017, the NSW Government provided its response to our review.
The Commission also produced a number fact sheets to help the community and stakeholders participate in the review. These included an overview of pest animal management, widespread pest animals, deer management, feral cat management, feral horse management, carp management, and recreational hunting.
Key documents
- Final report - Pest animal management review (PDF 4.67MB) (August 2016)
- Government response (PDF 2.48MB) (May 2017)
- Draft report (PDF 3.47MB) (March 2016)
- Issues paper (PDF 1.55MB) (October 2015)
- Terms of Reference (PDF 89.31KB)