Our vision
- Healthy and sustainable kangaroo populations
- Healthy and sustainable landscapes
- Sustainable and productive agricultural industries
- A strong commercial kangaroo industry.
The Kangaroo Management Taskforce
The Kangaroo Management Taskforce was formed in September 2016 after Western Local Land Services and the Western Lands Advisory Committee hosted a kangaroo management workshop in Cobar in recognition of the issues surrounding large increases in kangaroo populations. The Executive Summary report from that workshop can be found here.
The Kangaroo Management Taskforce has broad stakeholder representation from relevant agencies, Aboriginal communities, animal welfare organisations, landholders and industry and has the goal of developing informed and collaborative approaches to improving kangaroo management.
What are the issues?
- Kangaroo populations become overabundant after good seasons
- Overpopulation of kangaroos leads to overgrazing, damages landscapes and accelerates the onset of drought
- During prolonged droughts, numerous kangaroos die from starvation, thirst, disease and roadkill
What are the opportunities?
- Improving welfare outcomes for kangaroo populations
- Integrated management programs
- Creating opportunities for sustainable regional employment, particularly for Aboriginal communities
- Providing sustainable, healthy protein for a growing global population
- Better planning, collaboration, research and information sharing
Taskforce membership
Robust representation, consensus approaches, good governance and an appropriate structure allow the Taskforce to have a strong voice independent of the individuals and organisations involved.
Representation includes:
- Independent Chairperson
- Regional landholders
- RSPCA NSW
- Australian Veterinary Association
- Aboriginal Communities
- Kangaroo Industry including kangaroo harvester
- Stakeholder organisations such as NSW Farmers, Pastoralists Association of West Darling and Western Landcare Inc
- Relevant government agencies including: Local Land Services, NSW Kangaroo Management Program, Western Lands Advisory Committee, Regions, Industry, Agriculture and Resources
- One representative from the Western Local Board (Western Local Land Services)
Advisory group – Western Local Land Services
Since July 2018 the Kangaroo Management Taskforce has been acting as an advisory committee to Western Local Land Services. This entails working within agreed Terms of Reference and non-government members receiving a sitting fee for face to face meetings of the Taskforce.
Western Local Land Services currently employs a Team Leader – Kangaroo Management to work with the Taskforce on achieving its goals of improving kangaroo management.