The Liberal Government is committed to taking a considered and consultative approach to developing an overall feral cat management response.
Feral cats are a significant issue in Tasmania. Our state has a widespread, self-sustaining feral cat population across rural and remote areas.
The impacts of feral cats on native wildlife and on livestock and human health naturally generate a significant degree of public concern.
Managing feral cats is a community-wide problem. A range of approaches are required to manage the impacts of feral cats on wildlife and on farms.
The Liberal Government is taking decisive action on this issue, unlike the Labor-Green Government, which didn't even bother to implement the Cat Management Act 2009 until three years later in 2012.
Rather than another kneejerk review as Labor and the Greens would have us do, the Liberal Government is taking a considered and consultative approach to tackling this important issue.
The Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment is currently building on their recent stakeholder consultations and is developing a range of options for controlling feral cats in critical areas, reducing the number of cats becoming feral and for fostering responsible cat ownership.
These options may require amending the Act. The Government will release further information in early 2015 and seek further community input at the time.
More Media Releases from Jeremy Rockliff
More Media Releases from the Minister for Primary Industries and Water