Game and Pest Board

Hunting and deer management forum - August 2019

On Monday 19 August 2019, the Game and Pest Management Advisory Board held an Approved Hunting Organisation and licence holder forum in Wollongong with around 100 stakeholders in attendance.

Speakers at the event included Emeritus Professor Robert Mulley, Chair of the Game and Pest Management Advisory Board, Dr. Andrew Moriarty, Director of the NSW DPI Game Licensing Unit and Barry Howlett, President of the Australian Deer Association (Victoria).

Brian Murphy, CEO of Quality Deer Management Association (USA) and Niels Sondergaard from the Denmark Hunters Association, provided the forum with perspectives on deer management from USA and Europe.

You can view the presentations (PDF, 17037.5 KB) from the Board's forum.

Game and Pest Board forum for licence holders - October 2017

On Saturday 21 October 2017, over 110 hunting stakeholders gathered in Penrith for the Game and Pest Management Advisory Board's Hunting and Pest Management forum.

Participants workshopped issues that constrain hunters in pest and wildlife management, resulting in several recommendations around:

education
public perception and the benefits of hunting
culture
programs, and
recent examples of successful conservation partnerships.

You can read a Report of Proceedings (PDF, 339.91 KB) from the Board's forum.

Meet the board members

Emeritus Professor Robert Mulley (Chairman)

Andrew Walsh

Christine Hall

Emeritus Professor Robert Mulley (Chairman)

Working from the School of Science at Western Sydney University, Emeritus Professor Robert Mulley is a leader amongst wildlife management scientists, has written over 150 scientific publications and in addition has presented over 100 papers to conferences and industry forums. His expert knowledge in animal science and agriculture, vertebrate pest management, wildlife management and sustainable land use has been recognised nationally and internationally.

E/Prof Mulley recently completed a 14 year term as a member of the NSW Animal Research Review Panel and five years as Chair of the NSW Kangaroo Management Advisory Panel. He is a former member of the NSW Biosecurity Advisory Committee and has also recently held positions on the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Zoo Biology, the Victorian Hunting Advisory Committee, as Chair of the NSW Board of Studies Primary Industries Examination Committee, and as a representative on the Australian Wildlife Health Network Management Committee. E/Prof Mulley is an active recreational hunter and enjoys spending time hunting with his two sons.

Andrew Walsh

As a Principal NRM Scientist for Eco Logical Australia Pty Ltd and with 20 years of experience in environmental and heritage management, Andrew provides consultancy advice on ecology and wildlife management including invasive pest species and biosecurity for a range of public and private clients in NSW and Australia. From 2015-2019 Andrew was the Project Manager for the highly successful $16M Lord Howe Island Rodent Eradication Project, the largest of its kind in the world. Andrew has also delivered the successful eradication of Yellow Crazy Ants in suburban Darwin and was the author of the Biosecurity and Overabundant Native Species Guidelines for the Department of Defence.

Before becoming a consultant, Andrew worked for a number of years as a Supervising Quarantine and Exports Inspector for the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service, where duties included practical on the ground prevention, detection and management of a variety of invasive pest species and diseases in Australia and overseas. Andrew grew up on a beef cattle property and has actively hunted his entire life. He therefore understands the importance a well-educated and regulated game hunting industry in managing introduced pests and over abundant native species for a healthy agriculture sector and ecosystem.

Christine Hall

Christine is a landholder in the Northern Tablelands Region of NSW, managing the family’s cropping and grazing properties. This has given her an insight into the constantly changing landscape of problem animal control driven by seasons and fluctuating markets. She understands the needs of both landholders and hunters and the possibilities of an ethical and cultural partnership between the two.

A hunter for fifty years, both out of necessity on her properties and recreationally around Australia and overseas, Christine is a champion for sustainable use of hunted species. She is well aware of the connection between economical markets and effective pest animal management. Christine has been a landholder representative on the Northern Tablelands Regional Pest Animal Management Committee since its inception. A founding member of the Safari Club International Down Under Chapter and Three Rivers Big Game Hunting Club, past competitor in SSAA Big Game Rifle Club competitions and a former member of the Emmaville Regional Shooting Complex Committee, she is an active member of the Inverell community and is conscious of the values and needs of rural NSW.

Dan Field

Dan Field is a founding member of the South Coast Hunters Club and the current president. A keen outdoorsman all his life, he has been a hunter for over fifty years in Australia and overseas, Dan hunts mainly with muzzleloader or black powder cartridge. He has worked as both a hunting and fishing guide in Australia.

Growing up in regional NSW he understands the needs of landholders, hunters and small hunting clubs. Dan looks forward to working on the Game & Pest Management Advisory Board representing the interests of licensed hunters to the Minister.

David Voss

A retired project management professional, accredited workplace trainer and assessor and thirty-five year veteran of the IT and telecommunications industries, David Voss has led several award-winning teams through the implementation of projects for the Australian Defence Forces, AFP and other national agencies.

Growing up in rural NSW, David has been an active hunter all his life. He shot the first fox taken under an R licence in NSW, contributed to the NSW Wild Deer Management Strategy working group and is a member of the ACT Firearms Advisory Committee.

In his role as Chairman of the Australian Deer Association over 7 years, Mr Voss was responsible for the development of a number of initiatives involving hunters as part of integrated wildlife management programs, advocating for access to public land for hunting and hunter education. David brings a national perspective to the Board.

Dr Justin Clarke

A registered veterinary surgeon for nearly 30 years and with a Master’s Degree in Wildlife Management, Dr Justin Clarke is currently the Senior University Veterinarian for the Australian National University, a Veterinary Ecologist with Wildlife and Veterinary Ecology Services at Nowra on the NSW South Coast, and an Associate Researcher with the Marine Predators Research Group at Macquarie University. Dr Clarke has a particular interest in animal welfare and wildlife health.

Dr Clarke was the Deputy Chair of the National Parks and Wildlife Service South Coast Region Advisory Committee for nearly 8 years and is Chair and a Category A member of the University of Technology Sydney Animal Care and Ethics Committee, and a Category A member of the Macquarie University Animal Ethics Committee. Dr Clarke brings a wealth of experience in wildlife veterinary science and research to the Board.

Robert Costello

Rob Costello is a cattle grazier from the Walcha region of the Northern Tablelands where he runs his family’s stud and commercial cattle enterprise. Mr Costello has been involved in this role for over 30 years. Mr Costello’s interest in stud cattle breeding, genetics and sustainable land management has led to a wealth of experience accumulated over the years. Recognition of biosecurity and economic threats has been at the forefront of developing his interest in pest animal management and hunting.

Mr Costello’s role as President of the Moona-Winterbourne Wild Dog Control Association has seen him involved in numerous advisory panels and planning groups aimed at developing plans to control Vertebrate pests. Mr Costello is a keen hunter and his love of breeding and training dogs has driven his interest in using dogs to hunt pigs and identify wild dog sign in the landscape.

Mr Costello is a passionate advocate for educating youth in agriculture and legal hunting practices, including hunting with dogs.

Jai Rowell

Leading the largest Firearms Peak Association and Approved Hunting Organization in NSW, the Sporting Shooters Association of Australia (SSAA NSW), Mr Rowell also serves on the National Board of the SSAA and has a keen interest in conservation and wildlife projects.

Mr Rowell holds extensive expertise in policy formulation across all levels of Government, with an extensive career in Government having served as a Member of Parliament, serving as Minister for Mental Health and Assistant Health Minister, and prior to that as an Advisor and later a Chief of Staff in Federal Government. Mr Rowell also has extensive experience in Local Government and is a Fellow of Law at Western Sydney University.

Membership

The Game and Feral Animal Control Act 2002 (the Act) sets out the membership and functions of the Board.

Together, the members of the Game and Pest Management Advisory Board are to include representatives of regional NSW and have expertise, skill or knowledge in the areas of:

pest management
wildlife
veterinary science
hunting
education
community engagement.

Functions

Under the Game and Feral Animal Control Act 2002, the Board will:

represent the interests of licensed hunters in matters arising under the Act.
provide advice on request to the Minister or the Regulatory Authority on game and feral animal control.
provide advice on request to the Minister regarding priorities for research expenditure from the Game and Pest Management Trust Fund.
provide advice to the Minister or the Regulatory Authority on educational courses relating to game hunting.