LETTER TO NSW GAME HUNTING LICENCE HOLDERS The following letter will be emailed and posted to NSW Game Hunting Licence Holders: On Thursday 4 July 2013 the NSW Government announced it will implement the key changes to Game Council NSW recommended by the independent Governance Review of the Game Council of NSW by Steve Dunn. The changes are designed to improve the functions previously carried out by Game Council NSW and also acknowledge hunting as a legitimate recreational activity. The report found that Game Council NSW had an ‘inherent conflict associated with its functions to both represent the interests of hunters, and to regulate their activities’. Therefore the NSW Government said it will immediately take the following actions: Transfer the licensing, regulatory, enforcement, education and policy functions into the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI); and Establish an advisory Game Board that will undertake stakeholder engagement and representation, advocate hunting, advise on research priorities and commission research, and provide independent advice to Government. The Director General of NSW Trade & Investment, Mr Mark Paterson AO, will become the Division Head of the Game Council Division in the interim to oversee the integration of functions into DPI. The NSW Government also announced it will immediately suspend hunting in all 400 State forests, pending the transfer of functions and the outcome of a risk assessment. This means that individuals with written permission to hunt on declared public land areas such as State forests and Crown Lands must no longer do so and must abide by the suspension until further advised. Game Council and the Forestry Corporation of NSW will be contacting licence holders who have booked Written Permissions as soon as possible. Advice is also being sought from the NSW Government on the status of licensing arrangements. Game Bird Management regulatory functions will continue to be undertaken by the Office of Environment and Heritage in 2013 and will transfer to DPI in 2014. Updates on the changes to Game Council NSW will be published on the website gamecouncil.nsw.gov.au. Game Council will also communicate changes to licence holders via email. If you would like to add an email address to your licence, or update your address, please email [email protected] The Governance Review of the Game Council of NSW by Steve Dunn and the NSW Government’s response are also published on the website. GAME COUNCIL MEDIA STATEMENT On Thursday 4 July 2013 the Minister for Primary Industries announced the dissolution of Game Council NSW as a result of recommendations made following the NSW Government’s governance review. The NSW Government has suspended hunting in all NSW State forests, pending a new risk assessment. All issued Written Permissions are now invalid. Game Council and the Forestry Corporation of NSW will attempt to call all licence holders with bookings to confirm cancellation of their permits in the coming week. Game Council is committed to working with the NSW Government as the report recommendations are implemented and will also be working closely with NSW game hunting licence holders to minimise the impact of interim arrangements.
Posted on: Sat, 06 Jul 2013 02:14:20 +0000
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