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Summary of full report
Safari Hunting of Australian
Wild Exotic Game—Extension
Establishment of a peak body for the industry
by G.McL. Dryden, S.G. Craig-Smith and C. Arcodia
October 2007
RIRDC Publication No 07/161 RIRDC Project No UQ-116A
Method
A project group was established,
together with an advisory committee with representatives from the industry
and the NSW Game Council. This group organised meetings in Brisbane and
at Coffs Harbour. The Coffs Harbour meeting was organised to achieve the
primary aim of this project, i.e. to establish a peak body for the Australian
safari hunting industry. The other meeting was held before an audience
of people involved in policy-making relevant to the control of invasive
animals. The project group invited an international expert in the marketing
of safari hunting, Prof. Laetitia Radder of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan
University, South Africa, to speak at the two meetings.
The first meeting was held to provide information about safari hunting as an alternative tool in the control of invasive exotic wild animals. An invited audience of representatives of the Queensland Departments of Natural Resources and Mines and Primary Industries and Fisheries, Tourism Queensland, the Co-operative Research Centres for Invasive Animals and Sustainable Tourism, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and AgForce, attended the meeting.
Results - formation of
the Professional Safari Hunters’ Association of Australia
The main meeting, at Coffs
Harbour, attracted more than 20 professional safari hunters. The meeting
was addressed by Assoc.
Prof. Stephen Craig-Smith who discussed the role of the safari hunting industry within the broader Australian tourism industry, Mr.
Kevin Gleeson who described the activities of the Northern Territory Professional Hunters’ Association, and Prof. Radder, who described the scope and organisation of the South African industry. Following this, a general meeting voted to establish the Professional Safari Hunters’ Association of Australia (PSHAA). Mr. Errol Mason (Sambar Shikas) was elected the convenor of a steering committee which is presently working to establish a constitution and to incorporate the new Association. This role was subsequently taken up by Mr. Mark Daddow (Seven River Safaris).
Outcomes for the industry
and the community
The above outcome is an
important advance for the Australian professional safari hunting industry.
The Association will draw up a code of practice and represent the industry
to government, the tourism industry, and the general community. These activities
will help to protect its members against unethical behaviour by hunters
who are not members, ill-informed criticism, reassure the general community
that safari hunting is conducted ethically, and improve the sustainability
of the safari hunting industry.
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