Paper Petition

The petition of electors of the Division of Charters Towers draws to the attention of the House: That the City of Charters Towers is not a roosting site for Flying Foxes. For 5 years nursing mums, children, the sick, the frail, the elderly and other residents of Charters Towers have suffered with the stench, noise, disturbance of peace, loss to businesses, property values, and the destruction of pristine trees. Residents are unable to hang out their clothes, turn on their air conditioners and are forced to stay in doors because of bat excreta. These bats also carry bacteria, parasites and other a lethal viruses.

Your petitioners therefore request the House to: • Put people's health and quality of life before Flying Foxes. • Recognise the permits issued by the State Government to remove these pests are useless and ineffective. • Introduce minimum culling to encourage the bats not to roost amongst residents and/or • Employ two (2) Parks and Wildlife Officers to be solely responsible to harass the bats all day, every day until the Flying Foxes are completely and permanently driven away from the vicinity of residential areas. Please note: Charters Towers and District has one of the biggest river system in North Queensland with plenty of Roosting Sites away from the residential areas.