It won’t be all scones and tea at this year’s Country Women’s Association (CWA) of New South Wales state conference.
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Members will also debate a motion supporting the legal culling of deer across the state.
The organisation’s Stanwell Park branch is proposing that the policy of the CWA of NSW shall be that deer be classified as a pest species to allow the legal culling of these animals.
Stanwell Park branch president Carol Pugh said members proposed the motion out of concern for the rise in wild deer numbers and the problems they caused farmers and the environment, and the danger posed to motorists.
“All the evidence points to increasing wild deer populations around NSW and communities are feeling the impact,” Ms Pugh said.
“Deer compete with livestock and native species, damage the environment and are a menace on our roads and railways.
Something needs to be done urgently to reduce deer numbers before they get completely out of control.
- Carol Pugh
“Something needs to be done urgently to reduce deer numbers before they get completely out of control.”
Deer populations have soared by 60 per cent between 2009 and 2016 according to the Invasive Species Council [ISC], the environmental group set up to protect Australia from harmful and invasive species.
Wollongong City Council has recently supported a push from landholders and the Greens to overhaul the way deer are controlled in NSW.
They hope the government will reclassify deer as a pest species.
If the motion is successfully passed, the CWA of NSW will adopt a formal policy on lobbying for the classification of deer as a pest species to allow for culling, enabling it to advocate for change as an organisation.
CWA’s state conference will be at the New England Girls School in Armidale from April 30 to May 4.
“The CWA of NSW takes its advocacy role very seriously and many of the successful motions from this conference will shape our lobbying efforts for the year ahead,” CWA of NSW president Annette Turner said.