A STATE Government policy to reintroduce dingoes into Gariwerd (Grampians) and national parks in the Mallee may be “re-considered” in the future, a report has revealed.

Under the initial draft of the Greater Gariwerd Landscape Management Plan, developed in partnership with Traditional Owners groups, an investigation to reintroduce dingoes was proposed and included in community consultation.

The proposed reintroduction of dingoes raised a red flag to landholders and farmers with properties adjacent to public land fearing it will endanger the safety of their livestock and native fauna.

The final Greater Gariwerd Landscape Management Plan was released December 21, 2021 and outlines the 15-year journey to better care for the remarkable cultural landscape that flows through the national park and surrounding lands.

The one significant change from the initial draft plan, was the removal of the proposal to explore reintroducing dingoes to the landscape and which has been replaced with a goal to raise awareness about dingoes’ cultural significance.

Lowan MP Emma Kealy stated that despite the government’s assertions that dingoes would not be reintroducted, a text box tucked away on page 62, stating that the government has no current plans to release Wilkurr (dingoes) into the wild in the Greater Gariwerd Landscape, also goes on to reveal, “should there be broader community support in the future, investigations into reintroducing Wilkurr may be reconsidered”.

 “This proves that the government was leaving the door open, despite landholders and agriculture stakeholders asking for the policy to be torn up,” Ms Kealy said.

 “The Andrews Labor Government is dressing this wolf of a policy up in sheep’s clothing with its failure to unequivocally rule it out.”

Parks Victoria undertook community consultation early in 2021 and noted significant concerns by local communities and the farming sector regarding the dingo proposal, confirming as recently as last week that a significant change from the draft plan has been the removal of the proposal to explore reintroducing dingoes to the landscape and that this has been replaced with a goal to raise awareness about their cultural significance.

During the community consultation period, the proposal to release dingoes into the Gariwerd (Grampians) were vehemently opposed by farmers, the Victorian Farmers Federation, local communities and the National Wild Dog Management co-ordinator, Greg Mifsud, who said the proposal was “completely flawed”.

 According to Mr Mifsud, rather than contributing to the control of pest animals, like cats and foxes, “in actual fact all you are doing is compounding the predation pressure on the native fauna within the Grampians by adding another introduced predator to the system”.

 Leader of The Nationals and Shadow Minister for Agriculture Peter Walsh said wild dogs alone cost the Victorian economy $18 million each year.

 “Rather than spending taxpayer’s money introducing more predators into the mix, the Andrews Labor Government should be properly investing in controlling pest animals and proactive programs to stop the spread of weeds, like local Landcare groups,” Mr Walsh said.