This is from ABC News Website
There has been a mixed reaction to a proposal to revisit the safari hunting of saltwater crocodiles in the Northern Territory.
The Federal Government knocked back a plan to reintroduce crocodile safaris three years ago, but Environment Minister Tony Burke is considering a policy change because of the benefits it could bring to Aboriginal people.
"They've already got the right to hunt crocodiles themselves, what they don't have the right to do is to make money out of it and I'm very happy to have a look at that," he said.
"There will be public consultation and any final decision I make will be guided by national environment laws."
Indigenous landowner Jida Gulpilil has welcomed the move.
She says safari hunting would provide jobs and boost tourism in remote areas where there is a lack of economic opportunity.
"By doing this we can create the new Indigenous crocodile industry," she said.
"Increasing our involvement in that industry means getting people into jobs, into better training, increased involvement in the contemporary form of crocodile management."
But RSPCA spokeswoman Heather Neil is opposed to trophy hunting, saying that shooting animals for sport raises welfare issues.
And she says it is not a way of controlling crocodile populations.
"It's not a means of controlling crocodile populations, it's simply shooting animals for sport," she said.
"The main problem in terms of welfare is that there is no requirement for those shooters to have any training or be demonstrated to be competent in actually shooting crocodiles humanely.
"If crocodiles need to be controlled, they should be controlled by trained professionals."
Controversy over croc-hunting safari plan - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
There has been a mixed reaction to a proposal to revisit the safari hunting of saltwater crocodiles in the Northern Territory.
The Federal Government knocked back a plan to reintroduce crocodile safaris three years ago, but Environment Minister Tony Burke is considering a policy change because of the benefits it could bring to Aboriginal people.
"They've already got the right to hunt crocodiles themselves, what they don't have the right to do is to make money out of it and I'm very happy to have a look at that," he said.
"There will be public consultation and any final decision I make will be guided by national environment laws."
Indigenous landowner Jida Gulpilil has welcomed the move.
She says safari hunting would provide jobs and boost tourism in remote areas where there is a lack of economic opportunity.
"By doing this we can create the new Indigenous crocodile industry," she said.
"Increasing our involvement in that industry means getting people into jobs, into better training, increased involvement in the contemporary form of crocodile management."
But RSPCA spokeswoman Heather Neil is opposed to trophy hunting, saying that shooting animals for sport raises welfare issues.
And she says it is not a way of controlling crocodile populations.
"It's not a means of controlling crocodile populations, it's simply shooting animals for sport," she said.
"The main problem in terms of welfare is that there is no requirement for those shooters to have any training or be demonstrated to be competent in actually shooting crocodiles humanely.
"If crocodiles need to be controlled, they should be controlled by trained professionals."
Controversy over croc-hunting safari plan - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
