‘Rampant’ deer population ‘out of control’ says Keira MP

Urgent action is needed to address wold deer population on the Illawarra escarpment. Photo: Wollongong City Council

State MP for Keira, Ryan Park

URGENT bipartisan action is needed to address the current crisis of the growing wild deer population in the Illawarra.

NSW Shadow Treasurer, State MP for Keira, Ryan Park has written to the newly appointed Minister for Agriculture, Adam Marshall MP to request a meeting to discuss options for immediate action.

Mr Park claims deer populations were allowed to grow while culling programs were suspended by the NSW Government from December 2017 to June 2018. He says the problem is out of control and the assistance provided by the Illawarra Wild Deer Management Program is no longer sufficient.

Mr Park is pushing for increased funding to address what he says is a “rampant wild deer population”. He says the problem is out of control and is calling on the current government to take urgent action to stem the crisis.

Mr Park says the problem requires an immediate bipartisan approach to inject funding for more culling programs by Wollongong City Council and Local Land Services.

“Feral deer create havoc in the Illawarra,”he said.

“They damage property and the natural environment, cause collisions on the road and on train lines. It is only a matter of time before there is a serious collision on our roads.

“People in the Illawarra are running out of patience…We need a commitment from the government to increase funding for more deer culling programs in the Illawarra.”