Game Council New South Wales

Game Council New South Wales
Statutory authority overview
Formed	2002 (2002)
Dissolved	4 July 2013 (2013-07-04)
Superseding agency	NSW Game Board
Jurisdiction	New South Wales
Minister responsible	Katrina Hodgkinson, Minister for Primary Industries
Statutory authority executive	Brian Boyle, Chief Executive
Parent department	Department of Primary Industries
Key document	Game and Feral Animal Control Act 2002
Website	www.gamecouncil.nsw.gov.au

Game Council New South Wales was a statutory authority of the Government of New South Wales established in 2002 pursuant to the Game and Feral Animal Control Act 2002 ('the Act'), subject to the control and direction of the Minister for Primary Industries. The Game Council was established as a result of legislative pressure exerted by the Shooters Party, when it held the balance of power in the Legislative Council of New South Wales. Shooter's MP Robert Brown was instrumental in the formation of the legislation.^[1]

On 4 July 2013 the Minister for Primary Industries announced the dissolution of the statutory authority following a review of governance of the Council by the NSW Government.^[2]

However, the review of governance, completed by retired public servant, Steve Dunn, found that:^[3]

"more than a decade after it was established the Game Council has no overarching governance framework; lacks a strategic planning framework; lacks some of the skills, tools and resources to ensure effective compliance with its regulatory framework; has no internal regulatory compliance program, has no approved enterprise-wide risk management framework and has an inadequate policy framework".

Immediately after releasing the recommendations of the review, the government announced the abolition of the Game Council; replaced by an appointed advisory body, the New South Wales Game Board; and the regulatory aspect of the Council transferred to the Department of Primary Industries.^[4]

Functions and scope

The aim of the Game Council was to provide for the effective management of introduced species of game animals, as well as promoting responsible and orderly hunting of those game animals on public and private land and of certain pest animals on public land.

The Act specified a range of functions for the Game Council centred on administering the game hunting licensing system, representing the interests of game hunters, making recommendations and providing advice to the Minister on game and feral animal control, liaising with other stakeholders in managing game and feral animals, promoting and funding research into game and feral animal control issues and engaging in such other activities relating to the objects of the Act as are prescribed by the regulations.

An annual Public Benefit Assessment was conducted, based on survey data from licence holders, that reported the Game Council's activities as a community service and as a cost-effective method of achieving its natural resource management objectives, specifically game and feral animal control. In 2009-10, there was an increase in public benefit reported.^[5]

Controversies

In May 2012, supported by the Game Council, the NSW Government announced plans to allow pest control by licensed individuals to help control pest animals in selected national parks, nature reserves and state conservation areas. The Game Council was to play a role as both the licensing agency and as the regulating agency.^[6] The proposal generated significant community resistance, and was subjected to a campaign from its opponents^[7]^[8] in an environment where a group of hunters were shooting at kangaroos in a national park camping ground – an illegal act^[9] – and the hunting of native animals close to metropolitan areas,^[10]

In January 2013 it was reported that two of the staff of the Game Council, including the council's communications manager and acting chief executive, Greg McFarland, were suspended from work by the Minister as police investigated allegations that McFarland hunted on private property near Cobar without permission, in a Game Council-owned vehicle.^[2]^[11] Police charged McFarland with a raft of offences including hunting without permission, possessing a prohibited weapon in a nature reserve and firing a firearm onto enclosed lands.^[12] The other staff member was found to have been in Sydney at the time of the incident and was exonerated by police.

At the same time, the government commissioned a review of the governance of the Game Council;^[13] that ultimately led to its abolition.^[2]

References

↑ "Hunters urged to read Game Council report". ABC News. Australia. 5 July 2013. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
1 2 3 Nicholls, Sean (4 July 2013). "Game Council to be abolished". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
↑ Norris, Andrew (4 July 2013). "Game over as hunting suspended". The Land. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
↑ Manson, Skye; Herbert, Lisa; Owens, Angela (5 July 2013). "NSW Government abolishes Game Council". ABC Rural. Australia. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
↑ "Environment scorecard" (PDF). Game Council of New South Wales. Government of New South Wales. 2010. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
↑ O'Farrell, Barry (30 May 2012). "Game and Feral Animal Control Act" (PDF). Premier of New South Wales (Press release). Government of New South Wales. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
↑ Young, Matt (10 April 2013). "National Park users worried about being shot by stray bullets from hunters". news.com.au. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
↑ "National Parks Association welcomes changes to hunting program" (Press release). National Parks Association of New South Wales. 4 July 2013. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
↑ Brown, Bill (17 August 2012). "Horrific wildlife shooting in NSW National Park". ABC News. Australia. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
↑ Patty, Anna (6 August 2012). "Recreational hunting in national parks under fire after joey shot by stray arrow". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 8 July 213. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
↑ Aston, Heath (28 January 2013). "Game Council told police of illegal hunt claim". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 8 July 213. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
↑ "Police charge Game Council boss". news.com.au. AAP. 6 April 2013. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
↑ Dunn, Steve; Corrigan, Steve; Watkinson, Russell (14 June 2012 (sic.)). "Governance Review of the Game Council of NSW" (PDF). Independent Consulting. Game Council of New South Wales. Retrieved 8 July 2013. Check date values in: |date= (help)

External links

Departments and agencies of the New South Wales Government

New South Wales Government

Premier and Cabinet	Parliamentary Counsel's Office Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal Ombudsman's Office Public Service Commission Office of the Governor NSW Electoral Commission Ombudsman Venues NSW Sydney Cricket Ground Trust Sydney Olympic Park Authority Office of Sport NSW Institute of Sport Destination NSW Infrastructure NSW Natural Resources Commission Barangaroo Delivery Authority Audit Office Auditor-General Independent Commission Against Corruption Office of Western Sydney International Engagement

Justice	Arts NSW Art Gallery Trust Australian Museum Trust Crown Solicitor's Office Corrective Services Director of Public Prosecutions Fire and Rescue NSW Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority Industrial Relations Commission Information and Privacy Commission Judicial Commission Juvenile Justice Legal Aid Commission Legal Profession Admission Board Liquor & Gaming NSW, formerly Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing Library Council of New South Wales Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences Ministry of Police and Emergency Services Crime Commission Office of the Rural Fire Service Office of the State Emergency Service NSW Police Force NSW Trustee and Guardian Police Integrity Commission Public Guardian Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages Screen NSW Sydney Opera House Trust Veterans' Affairs

Education	Aboriginal Affairs NSW Aboriginal Land Council Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards Charles Sturt University Council Macquarie University Council Southern Cross University Council University of New England Council University of New South Wales Council University of Newcastle Council University of Technology, Sydney Council University of Western Sydney Board of Trustees University of Wollongong Council

Family and Community Services	Ageing, Disability and Home Care Community Services Children's Guardian Advocate for Children and Young People Home Care Service of New South Wales Aboriginal Housing Office New South Wales Land and Housing Corporation Housing NSW Multicultural NSW

Finance and Services	Service NSW Office of State Revenue Valuer General NSW Self Insurance Corporation Motor Vehicle Repair Industry Authority Government Property NSW Teacher Housing Authority of New South Wales Parliamentary Contributory Superannuation Fund Building Insurers' Guarantee Corporation State Records Authority New South Wales Government Telecommunications Authority Motor Accidents Authority WorkCover Authority Board of Surveying and Spatial Information Building Professionals Board NSW Architects Registration Board Rental Bond Board Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority Luna Park Reserve Trust Internal Audit Bureau NSW Fair Trading Waste Assets Management Corporation Geographic Names Board NSW Public Works (including the Government Architect)

Health	Health Care Complaints Commission Sydney Children's Hospitals Network Agency for Clinical Innovation Bureau of Health Information Clinical Excellence Commission Health Education and Training Institute Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network Mental Health Commission Ambulance Service of NSW Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practice Council of New South Wales Local Health Districts x 15 Statutory Health Corporations x 10 Health Administration Corporation Cancer Institute of New South Wales Office for Women’s Policy

Industry, Skills and Regional Development	Department of Primary Industries Crown Lands Division NSW Food Authority TAFE Commission Soil Conservation Service Local Land Services Cobar Water Board Dams Safety Committee Veterinary Practitioners Board NSW Rural Assistance Authority Essential Energy Ausgrid TransGrid Endeavour Energy Delta Electricity Hunter Water Corporation Sydney Water Corporation Forestry Corporation of NSW Game Council Water NSW Sydney Catchment Authority Office of Small Business Chief Scientist and Engineer

Planning and Environment	Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust Environment Protection Authority Historic Houses Trust Jenolan Caves Reserve Trust Landcom Lord Howe Island Board Office of Environment and Heritage Office of Local Government Parramatta Park Trust Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust Sydney Living Museums Taronga Conservation Society Australia UrbanGrowth NSW Western Sydney Parklands Trust

Transport	Independent Transport Safety Regulator NSW Trains Office of Transport Safety Investigations Port Authority of New South Wales RailCorp Roads & Maritime Services State Transit Authority Sydney Ferries Sydney Trains Transport for NSW WestConnex Delivery Authority

Treasury	Liability Management Ministerial Corporation Long Service Corporation NSW Treasury Corporation (TCorp) Office of Industrial Relations Residual Business Management Corporation SAS Trustee Corporation State Rail Authority Residual Holding Corporation

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