Game Animal Council one step closer

A Game Animal Council (GAC) for hunters of deer, tahr, chamois and wild pigs is one step closer, following the release last week of the Local Government and Environment Select Committee’s report on the Bill.

“Maybe it is the spirit of Christmas, but we sincerely thank the members of the Local Government and Environment Select Committee for adopting so many of our recommendations,” says Anders Crofoot, Federated Farmers game and pest management spokesperson.

“Like many bills it needed some work but we think our contribution, that of other submitters and the work of the committee itself has crafted a fairly good bill. 

“Farmers will be relieved that the scope of GAC does not extend to having rights over game animals on private land.  This upholds a fairly sacrosanct principle of private property rights.

“That said farmer representation on the GAC is completely logical.  While the GAC won’t have rights over private land, a lot of hunting does take place on farmland by mutual consent.

“Instead of hunters and farmers butting heads, council representation opens the door for collaborative working which is a huge positive going forward.

“We were further pleased to see the Game Animal Council chair will be a ministerial appointment.

“Given the differing types of hunters represented by the GAC, an independent chair reduces the risk of any one sector being overrepresented.  It should really enhance the ability of the diverse sectors represented to work together.

“Another thing we advocated for and picked up in the committee’s report is for more conditions around herds of special interest.

“The committee agreed with us that Ministry for Primary Industries input is needed around designations and other factors, such as tuberculosis control for example.

“Of course someone has to pay for this and the GAC will be funded by way of hunting fees and levies on targeted hunters. This is in addition to a levy on exported hunting trophies and to us this is all positive being ‘hunter-pays’.

“The GAC will be tasked with some research functions so it looks like the Game Animal Council Bill may progress in 2013.

“On the basis of the Local Government and Environment Select Committee report, it does so with our support,” Mr Crofoot concluded.

For the text of Federated Farmers submission, please click here.