28/06/2025
The push to overturn the law protecting feral horses in Kosciuszko National Park is front page news today in The Daily Advertiser
Here's the text of the article:
A controversial law protecting brumbies in the Riverina high country could be scrapped under a move by Wagga's state MP.
An 11,000-strong petition has prompted Joe McGirr to tell the NSW Parliament he intends to introduce a private member's bill to repeal the Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Act.
The controversial act, which became law in 2018, effectively gives priority to protection of horses - a damaging invasive species - over the preservation of native flora and fauna in the national park.
Dr McGirr's Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Repeal Bill 2025, to be presented in August, would remove the legal requirement to protect horses and allow for management plans that prioritise the support of native species.
"Horses cause major damage to the alpine landscape, trampling wetlands and destroying habitat so it makes no sense to continue with a law that effectively requires that damage to continue," the Wagga MP said.
"We would never accept a law that prioritises the protection of wild pigs, goats or foxes over native species yet under the current law, we do just that for horses.
"It is time to reverse a wrong of the past and give the fragile high-country environment a chance to recover from years of degradation."
Dr McGirr said he expected the usual procedure to unfold.
"The point of it is to allow you to give notice and allow a period for if you would like feedback on the draft, then the bill can be tabled and then hopefully we'll be debated at some point later in the year," he said.
"The timing of it will depend a little bit on whether it gets debated in August or later, but I will certainly be tabling it."
Dr McGirr said his main challenge will be members of Parliament that were supportive of the original legislation.
"They may still be," he said.
"It's going to be a question of convincing enough people who were strong supporters of the original bill."
Dr McGirr said it was pleasing to know that there was such a level of support within the community.
"It was also great that when the petition was tabled there were no objections," he said.
"There were no speeches opposing it, which was good.
"We also had support from across the political spectrum, we had support from the Greens, from the Liberal Party, as well as from the Labor Party.
"That was positive and that's why I'm optimistic."
Dr McGirr's only hesitation comes from the fact that the original bill passed.
"There were many supporters of that original bill, so our job will be to convince them that now is the time to repeal that bill."
The Invasive Species Council led the petition and is strongly supporting Dr McGirr's repeal bill.
The council's chief executive, Jack Gough, said the repeal bill would give the Parliament an opportunity to reverse years of environmental degradation in the park.
"For the sake of our native animals and precious mountain streams, we are calling on Premier Chris Minns and Opposition Leader Mark Speakman to come together to support Dr McGirr's bill," Mr Gough said.
"The removal by the government of thousands of feral horses from the park has led to early signs of ecological recovery in the park, but with some 3000 remaining, damage continues and now is the time to finish the job."
