National Parks and Wildlife Services, (NPWS) New South Wales are mismanaging Kosciouszko National Park

We call upon the Attorney General New South Wales Michael Daley,  to establish a Royal Commission into NPWS mismanagement 

Kosciouszko NP is over-run with blackerries and weeds, refuse and timber from the 2019 wildfires has never been removed. The tonnage of dead timber from the wildfires plus other fuels on the forest floors, mean the Park is a tinderbox waiting for another major fire. Yet, NPWS spend more time on addressing fencing in camping areas, or establishing walking tracks for humans or bikes, ploughing through the environment.

NPWS spend minimal time addressing environmental issues, developing localised fire and fire mitigation strategies, there is no localised management in the different areas of the Park according to the vegetation present. Decisions are made in Sydney, centralised with limited area involvement or localised knowledge.

The Park is overrun with blackberries and weeds and no action is taken to reduce weeds. Blackberies when dried will also contirbute to another wildfire.

Any reduction undertaken of wild pigs and deer or brumbies is not addressed by removal of carcass.

Carcass are left to rot in all areas of the Park, including in waterways, upon which foxes, dingoes and wild cats feed. 

To reduce populations of wild pigs, foxes and so called "wild dogs" NPWS drop tonnes of 1080 poison throughout the Park, more than any other State of Australia, from helicopters, yet never collect the poisoned carcass, contributing to further demise of native species such as goanna, skinks, dingoes, quoll, raptor, kookaburra, any carnivorous animal can die from 1080 poison.  Predator species are thriving on shot carcass or dying from secondary poisoning also left to rot to kill other species.

NPWS as managers, are engaged in a cull of brumbies protected by Legislation,  in retention zones, despite there must be no less than 3,000 brumbies  retained in retention zones to comply with the Legislation that protects them. 

The aerial culls and ground culls are inherently cruel. Aerial shooting from helicopters was banned by a New South Wales Attorney General,  20 years ago on grounds aerial culling is cruel. 

Conducted under NPWS own Standard Operating Procedures that have been described as a pathway to avoiding the application of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. 

We can no longer allow this mismanagement to continue. 

We cannot allow a repeat of the 2019 wildfires when billions of wildlife were destroyed.

We cannot allow NPWS to lock the community who are entitled to use and enjoy the Park, from the Park that was established for the whole Community.

There must be a Royal Commission into NPWS and management at all levels. 

Photo: ABC wildfires 2019

On 4 April 2024 NPWS will close the Park to undertake  more aerial culling and the Community will be denied their right of use and enjoyment of the National Park simply because NPWS can not manage.