The state's ability to rein in feral animal numbers has been questioned if a campaign to ban aerial culling gets it's way.
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That's according to the advocacy director for the Invasive Species Council Jack Gough who said banning aerial culling would render programs like the NSW Government's feral pig program completely ineffective.
Mr Gough said that the campaign, which includes certain members of the NSW Nationals, the Animal Justice Party, the Shooters and Fishers Party, and prominent radio host Ray Hadley, wanted to stop all aerial shooting, not just aerial shooting of wild brumbies in the Kosciuszko National Park.
To voice his opposition to aerial shooting Mr Hadley went before parliament, saying he's "concerned about aerial culling on a range of fronts".
Mr Gough said the anti-aerial culling campaign focused on three parts - safety, heart and lung shots, and a 40 second pursuit time.
He said bringing in regulations around pursuit times around heart and lung shots would essentially render pig control meaningless.
"Aerial shooting, particularly with thermal scopes, is the most effective control option for large feral herbivores like deer, pigs, horses, or goats," Mr Gough said.
"It is essential if we are to get on top of the exploding numbers of feral animals which are trashing, trampling, and polluting the landscape and our rivers.
"It's very concerning that we have this alliance of the Animal Justice Party, certain members of the National Party, the One Nation Pparty, and Ray Hadley with elements of the Shooters and Fishers Party teaming up to try and put restrictions on aerial culling with completely devastating impacts on the environment, devastating impacts for agriculture, and also be an increased risk for road users whose insurance premiums are going to go up if we don't get on top of the feral problem."
The feral pig program has culled more than 90,000 pigs since October 2023 but Mr Gough said without aerial culling, other containment methods were not going to be enough.
"When it comes to managing feral animals, the key number is the population growth rate," he said.
"If control is not approaching or exceeding that population growth rate, then it's not making a difference on the numbers of those feral animals.
"For feral deer, that's 35 to 50 per cent and for pigs it's well over 70pc.
"It's simply not possible to get near that population growth rate without aerial shooting and so it essentially renders feral animal control for those species ineffective and a waste of time.
"When it comes to ground shooting, trapping and baiting, these are important supplementary options, but getting on top of that population growth rate when the numbers are large relies on professional ongoing aerial shooting with thermal scopes."
Mr Gough said not all sides of parliament were against aerial culling.
Let's be clear here. The Liberal Party, the Labor Party, the Greens, independents and a large majority of the National Party are not on board with this campaign," he said.
"The problem is a rump of the National Party, with Ray Hadley, are giving space for these extreme arguments which are then threatening aerial shooting.
"Farmers should be worried, people who care about the health of our streams and the survival of our native animals should be worried, and road users should be worried about this campaign to overturn aerial shooting from a small vocal minority."
