Barilaro supports heritage worth of Snowy's brumbies

He has indicated that there is some debate within the NSW Government over the extent of the planned brumby cull in Kosciuszko National Park. His cabinet colleague Environment Minister Mark Speakman has indicated he supports a reduction from the estimated existing 6000 brumbies in the park to 600 over a 20-year period.

Various control methods are being considered in the Kosciuszko Wild Horse Management Plan, but Mr Speakman  has previously expressed support for ground shooting as the most humane way of reducing the feral population, which most groups acknowledge are damaging parts of the park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

Mr Barilaro says many of the people in his electorate of Monaro value the long-term existence of horses in Kosciuszko.

“I firmly believe this issue will be resolved in the early part of this year,’’ Mr Barilaro told The Land. 

“The view I hold does represent the view of a large proportion of my community, that the horses do have a heritage connection to the mountains. At the same time we accept that there must be a balance - and that balance, of course, must be the numbers of the brumbies.

“I can say that the Minister (Speakman) has been absolutely open with me and the stakeholders, both those for and against. He has indicated to me that we will resolve this soon and I look forward over the next month or so that we will come to some sort of resolution, and our community can be assured on what it looks like going forward. We are not far off from that decision.”

Meanwhile, cattlemen have backed the culling of brumbies in Kosciuszko National Park, but want it done humanely and only in certain areas.

With the release of the Kosciuszko Wild Horse Management plan due soon with the NSW government flagging a reduction of brumbies from 6000 to 600 over 20 years, cattlemen have backed the shooting of some horses.

Mountain Cattlemen’s Association executive officer Graeme Stoney, a former Victorian MP,  said he supported Snowy Mountains Bush Users Group president Peter Cochran’s call to heritage list brumbies.

“But we realise there has to be some reduction in numbers in some areas,’’ he said.

“We are totally against aerial shooting , as this is really cruel, as shooting of mares can leave foals abandoned. There should be a series of yards and professional people used to bring the horses in, and then you can cull them out and take the bodies out. 

“We have seen a lot of impact in areas from the brumbies along the southern parts of the park. But they are a wonderful tourist attraction and should be preserved in some form.’’