Independent MP Dr Joe McGirr will today give notice of his intention to introduce a Bill into NSW Parliament to repeal the controversial Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Act – the law that gives special protection to feral horses in a national park.
The introduction of the Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Repeal Bill 2025 marks a significant milestone in the campaign to restore Kosciuszko National Park and protect native wildlife and alpine rivers from the damaging impacts of feral horses.
This follows last month’s Parliamentary debate over a petition from over 11,000 people calling for repeal of the law in which not a single MP spoke in defence of the existing law.
Dr McGirr’s Wagga Wagga electorate covers half of Kosciuszko National Park. During the recent parliamentary debate, Labor Minister Steve Whan, whose electorate covers the other half of the National Park, also backed the law’s repeal.
Independent Member for Wagga Wagga, Dr Joe McGirr, said:
‘Horses cause major damage to the alpine landscape, trampling wetlands and destroying habitat so it makes no sense to continue with a law that effectively requires that damage to continue.
‘We would never accept a law that prioritises the protection of wild pigs, goats or foxes over native species yet under the current law, we do just that for horses.
‘It is time to reverse a wrong of the past and give the fragile high-country environment a chance to recover from years of degradation.’
Invasive Species Council CEO Jack Gough said:
‘Labor, Liberals, Greens and Independents have all been united by the need to take action to protect Kosciuszko National Park from being trashed and trampled by feral horses.
‘The NSW Parliament now has an opportunity to right a historical wrong by repealing this damaging law which has protected a feral animal over our native wildlife in a national park.
‘For the sake of our native animals and precious mountain streams, we are calling on Premier Chris Minns and Opposition Leader Mark Speakman to come together to support Dr McGirr’s Bill.
‘Dr McGirr is showing real leadership and standing up for science, for nature, and for the public good.’
NSW National Parks Association CEO Gary Dunnett said:
‘This is a long-overdue step which will ensure the recent good work by the National Parks Service to reduce the out-of-control feral horse population can continue.
‘Feral horse numbers in the park are finally trending downward. No one likes to see animals killed but this is the tough decision we have to make to protect our wildlife.
We’re already seeing early signs of ecological recovery – but unless this law is repealed we will still have over 3,000 horses trashing one third of the national park. Now is the time to finish the job.
‘Dr McGirr’s Bill gives Parliament the chance to right a historic wrong and put the future of one of Australia’s most precious national parks ahead of politics.’
Snowy River guide, Reclaim Kosci founder and Invasive Species Council Indigenous Ambassador Richard Swain said:
‘Feral horses trample our fragile landscapes, pollute our streams and damage sacred Country.
‘Finally, the health of the soil, water and our native species in the Snowy Mountains is healing but we now need to fix the ridiculous law that still protects a feral animal over our native plants and animals.
‘For the sake of the high Country it is past time that we put to bed the senseless arguments and accept the evidence that removing feral horses is the only way of protecting Country from this destruction.
‘There should be no laws on the books that protect a feral animal over our native animals. It’s time for Parliament to repeal this bad law once and for all.’
Reclaim Kosci volunteer coordinator Linda Groom said:
‘We were heartened to see not a single MP speak in defence of the Wild Horse Heritage Act during last month’s debate. That silence speaks volumes – and shows how far political and public opinion has shifted on this issue.
‘More than 11,000 people signed a paper petition to call on the NSW Parliament to act. They want to see their government representatives follow the clear science to protect Kosciuszko’s fragile wetlands, rivers and wildlife.’
Media inquiries: (02) 8006 5004
Photos of the May debate are available here.
Photos of horse damage in the park is available here.
Background:
- In NSW, feral horses are protected at the expense of native wildlife under the Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Act 2018, which requires a ‘heritage herd’ of feral horses to be maintained in Kosciuszko National Park.
- The current management plan for feral horses, which was introduced by the former Liberal government, imposes a legal obligation on NSW National Parks to carry out control operations to reduce the feral horse population to 3,000 across 32% of Kosciuszko National Park by 2027.
- The Australian Senate inquiry report into the Impacts and management of feral horses in the Australian Alps was released in October 2023 and recommended that:
- Aerial shooting should be adopted for control of feral horses in NSW (adopted by the NSW government in October 2023).
- Habitat degradation, competition and disease transmission by feral horses should be listed as a Key Threatening Process under national environmental law (Agreed to in principle in federal government response).
- The federal government should provide additional funding to assist NSW and Victoria to control feral horses (Not yet agreed to by the Albanese Government).
- The Senate committee also found that it ‘is not currently possible for both the EPBC Act and the NSW Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Act 2018 to be complied with’ and that ‘the committee considers that there may be an issue relating to the constitutional validity of the NSW Wild Horse Heritage Act to the extent it is inconsistent with the EPBC Act.’
- National Parks staff undertake feral horse control work professionally, humanely, and safely. This has been confirmed by two independent animal welfare reviews of NSW feral horse control operations which found that:
- Animal welfare outcomes are prioritised and are better than predicted, as confirmed by independent veterinary observations.
- There was no evidence of non-kill shots having been taken.
- Standard Operating Procedures are rigorously followed, and all personnel have welfare as a priority.
- Australia’s alpine plants and animals did not evolve with heavy, hard-hoofed feral horses. They are not native and cause enormous damage to sensitive habitat, degrading and polluting alpine streams and driving native species towards extinction.
- The federal government’s Threatened Species Scientific Committee have described feral horses as an ‘imminent threat’ to the Albanese government’s commitment to prevent new extinctions of plants and animals and stated that feral horses ‘may be the crucial factor that causes final extinction’ for 12 alpine species.
- The top 10 electorates for petition signers are:
- Goulburn
- Monaro
- Willoughby
- Kiama
- Newtown
- Blue Mountains
- Cootamundra
- Lane Cove
- Manly
- Balmain