Kosciuszko Campaign Information

You are likely aware that National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) have put together a Draft Plan of Management of the Kosciuszko Brumbies. It is undergoing a period of community consultation and you are able to comment on this prior to the 19th of August.

There are more than 770 pages of Draft Plan and supporting documents – a herculean read by any standards and those pages contain misinformation, inaccuracies and untruths. From the ‘fact’ that fillies can reproduce at 12 months of age (requiring them to become pregnant at only four weeks of age) to the incorrect rehoming figures, there is a clear disregard for the truth and disrespect for the Australian public who are reading the plan!

It is critical that as many Australians as possible make their feelings known on the Draft Plan. Without being dramatic, we feel that this plan spells the doom of our Kosciuszko Brumbies. It plans for the reduction of the population from an estimated 4000 – 8000 to an incredible 400 – 800. The majority of this reduction will be undertaken in the first five years of the plan, however there is the allowance in the plan for the full reduction to happen ‘more quickly if possible’.

Control methods such as Groundshooting – the gunning down of free roaming Brumbies are included in the plan, with humane, best practice methods shelved as having ‘no application’ for population reduction. The fact that fertility control has been used in free roaming wild horse populations for more than thirty years was somehow ‘missed’ by both NPWS and their ‘Independant’ Technical Review Group (ITRG). Many more facts have been misrepresented, twisted and hidden in the huge sheaf of documents.

We have developed this page in response to requests from our supporters to help to ‘make sense’ of the Draft Plan and its supporting documents. We ask that you read as much as you can and please, please, respond by the 19th of August to the email, snail mail and links supplied below.

ACTIONS – WHAT YOU CAN DO:

• READ the Kosciuszko National Park Draft Wild Horse Management Plan 2016

Then

• ASK QUESTIONS and do research. Don’t believe everything in the plan, supporting documents or on facebook!
  • Planning process general inquiries email Kosciuszko.wildhorseplan@environment.nsw.gov.au
  • Media enquiries re: draft wild horse mgmt plan to OEH Public Affairs Team Ph. 02 9995 5347
  • Your local Brumby advocacy group – see www.australianbrumbyalliance.org.au

Then

• REPLY on the Online form http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/protectsnowies/

Or

• EMAIL  your comments to: kosciuszko.wildhorseplan@environment.nsw.gov.au

Or

• POST your submission to:

           The Project Officer , Kosciuszko National Park Wild Horse Management Plan Review 
          National Parks and Wildlife Service, PO Box 2228 
          Jindabyne NSW 2627.
And

• WRITE to anyone who will listen, such as:
  
  • The Hon Mike Baird, NSW Premier
    
    • Contact form:  https://www.nsw.gov.au/your-government/contact-premier-new-south-wales
      
    • Level 40, Governor Macquarie Tower, 1 Farrer Place, Sydney NSW 2000  
      
  • Mark Speakman, NSW Environment Minister - to NPWS
    •  Contact form: http://nsw.liberal.org.au/contact-2/
    • Locked Bag 2, Kings Cross NSW 1340
  •  Tom Bagnet, Director metropolitan and Mountains NPWS
    •  Email: info@environment.nsw.gov.au
    • 14, 59-61 Goulburn St, Sydney NSW 2000
  • Penny Sharpe Shadow Minister  for the Environment and Heritage (Labour)
    •  Email: penny.sharpe@parliament.nsw.gov.au Level 14, 59-61 Goulburn Street, Sydney NSW 2000
  • Your local member for Parliament

And

• CALL your local Brumby rescue or advocacy group to see what you can to do help the Brumby cause!

www.victorianbrumbyassociation.org  for up to date information on Victoria and New South Wales, merchandise and contacts.
www.australianbrumbyalliance.org.au for Australia wide information and group contacts.
This is a critical time. Lets not be the generation who has to explain to our grandkids why there are no Aussie Brumbies in our Aussie High Country!
 ‘Unless some like you cares a whole lot, nothing is ever going to change….’ Unknown