E-Petition

The Petition of residents of the State of Queensland draws to the attention of the House the decision to revoke the planned phase out of damage mitigation permits (DMP) for flying foxes. A phase out of these permits was commenced in 2023 with a planned cessation on 1 July 2026. These permits are granted to orchardists for crop protection, despite decades of evidence determining lethal control does not work. 

The shooting of flying foxes has also been determined to be inhumane with flying foxes exempt from the humane killing requirements of DMPs. Shooting flying foxes is scientifically unjustified, ineffective for crop protection, and inconsistent with modern wildlife management principles. Queensland remains the only jurisdiction in Australia where lethal control of flying foxes is routinely permitted, which is out of step with national biodiversity commitments.

Your petitioners, therefore, request the House to prevent the amendments to the Nature Conservation (Animals) Regulation 2020, covered under the Waste Reduction and Recycling and Other Legislation Amendment Regulation 2025, which removes the end date of DMPs being granted. 

As planned, your petitioners want the end date of these permits to be 1 July 2026. Your petitioners call for greater state government support for orchardists to install full coverage netting, which is the only ethical and effective solution for crop protection. NSW has shown that sustainable agricultural practices are achievable with government support, to benefit both wildlife and farmers.