Wednesday, 17 June 2026

 Cindy McLEISH (Eildon) (19:00): (1709) I have a matter for the Minister for Environment, and the action I seek is for the minister to urgently strengthen wild dog control efforts in the Alexandra zone, Gembrook, Noojee and Erica zone and the Mansfield wild dog predation management zone and provide immediate support to livestock producers facing devastating attacks. The wild dog attacks across my electorate continue to be an issue and have devastating consequences for so many farmers in the area. I have been contacted so many times by those right across the electorate. I have 10,000 or so square kilometres, and it is just about in every corner now.

The other day I was contacted by a Glenburn sheep producer after she had suffered horrific losses during lambing. They are losing between 20 and 40 lambs every night. This is wiping out the next generation. They are losing their businesses. Ewes have been mauled and lambs killed and left where they fell. In a matter of weeks they have lost around 40 per cent of their lambs, and this is no isolated incident. It has been going on for years, and not enough has been done. In fact the current regulations greatly limit the effectiveness of the doggers. Landholders really appreciate the work that is done locally by Dave Klippel and Dwayne Needham in different areas, and they know how they are stretched. If you are trying to cover from the Yarra Ranges to Orbost, it is particularly difficult – and the same from Murrindindi virtually up into the Murray River. From Merrijig to Yarra Valley, Hoddles Creek and Dixons Creek, Lima South, Buxton, Taggerty and Toolangi towards Chum Creek and Goughs Bay, the reports are endless. Melbourne really needs to look out, because it is only a matter of time before they use those wildlife corridors to be in your backyard.

So many times I have spoken to ministers for agriculture and ministers for environment about this issue, and it certainly is not going away. So much more needs to be done, because it is not just livestock producers that are suffering here; it is also having an impact on people’s lives. I heard not long ago actually that in Big Pats Creek a pack of wild dogs was sighted 120 metres from the home of an elderly resident. One dog was destroyed, but several escaped into nearby bushland. This is close to popular tourist and recreation areas. It is becoming easier to interact as bushwalkers with wild dogs, and that is not safe. On so many levels this needs to have greater resources and greater efforts put into the management of the wild dog situation to really support our farmers and those who enjoy the bush.