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Wild Horses Get Maurie's Goat

Public Service Association general secretary Maurie O'Sullivan has launched an passionate defence of National Park & Wildlife Service members who have been under fire for the culling of feral horses.

In correspondence to the Labor Council, O'Sullivan has dubbed the workers main accuser, Southern Highlands MP Peta Seaton 'the Patron Saint of Feral Animals'.

"The emotional ferment whipped up about the aerial culling of feral horses in the Guy Fawkes River National Park has been most unfairly and unjustly to condemn a body of people who are the finest servants of this State," O'Sullivan says.

"Horses are loved in Australia and this is a feeling that is not monopolised by the Member for Southern Highlands, Ms Seaton. So are dogs loved in Australia. So are cats loved in Australia. However, when cats go feral the damage they do to native fauna is horrific and therfe is no outcry when feral cats are culled. Neither is there an outcry when feral dogs are culled. Primary producers value their pigs and many of us value port, yet we encourage the culling of feral pigs. I don't hear many people condemning this. I don't hear many people condemning the culling of rabbits, whilst at the same time we may refer to them as bunny rabbits, nice and cuddly. Nevertheless the damage they do is well known.

"The National Parks people who cull feral animals do so humanely and do so without any great enjoyment. The same applies to culling wild horses, which are doing incredible damage in some National Parks. I have listened to the Member for Southern Highlands talk about dropping some food which would make wild horses sexually impotent. However, she appears to fail to realise that it is not wild horses' testicles or ovaries that are damaging the Parks it is their hooves.

It" is less than impressive for members of the community with a particular political bent to perpetrate and maintain a cry of horror at the thought of feral animals being culled. To whip this into an emotional frenzy in attacking decent, good and altruistic officers in National Parks is beyond the pale. Instead of talking and shouting about legal action against NPWS Officers it may be much more honest to commend them for their wonderful contribution to the native beauty of this State over so many years.

"I wonder what Ms Seaton would say if it was on farms that animals were culled (eg horses, goats, pigs, rabbits, emus, kangaroos, wombats, etc.). Her party is notoriously silent on this.

"If the Member for Southern Highlands wishes to appoint herself as the Patron Saint of Feral Animals, then let her do so. However, it will be a patronage not conferred by canonisation and not conferred by vox populi."

So there.

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  Issue 77 contents

»	Games Workers Still Waiting on Closing Ceremony
»	Showdown: Howard Faces Court Over Rail Sell-Off
»	World Awaits Landmark Slave Labour Decision
»	American Voters Reject Vouchers
»	Illawarra Fights The Big Bastard
»	Retailers Rethink FairWear Retreat
»	Killer Holidays: Activist Fired for Taking Vacation
»	ANZ Faces Contracts Challenge
»	Cup Workers Score Heady Brew
»	Meals on Wheels Turns Mean
»	Wild Horses Get Maurie's Goat
»	Labor Council backs Souths Rally
»	Sisters Celebrate Four Years
»	Reith to Face the Music

»	The Soapbox
»	Sport
»	Trades Hall
»	Tool Shed

»	Nader no Fels
»	Sartor's Veladrome

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