
Graeme Hamilton, president
Graeme Hamilton has a strong background in biosecurity, pest management and conservation having worked across government, not-for-profit and university sectors.
We have an exceptional board made up of a crack team of professionals with a deep level of experience spanning biosecurity, environmental managment, public policy and organisational strategy.
About Us | Our board
Graeme Hamilton has a strong background in biosecurity, pest management and conservation having worked across government, not-for-profit and university sectors.
Fiona has worked as an ecological consultant since 2007 and currently works as a senior associate ecologist with Jacobs.
David brings diverse interests, networks and professional backgrounds to the invasive species challenge.
Bernadette is a zoologist with a strong commitment to protecting the environment and improving environmental management practices.
Sara is executive editor for the Asia-Pacific region of Nature Research Custom Media and has an extensive background as a science and environment communicator.
Ian has had a 30 year career in the management of not-for-profit organisations.
Sandy worked in the public sector for 30 years as a manager, mostly within Agricultural Environmental and Indigenous related agencies.
Chris Grubb has a background in the investment management industry in Asia and Australia and experience as a director of several public and non-profit organizations.
Dear National Deer Management Coordinator,
Please accept this as a submission to the National Feral Deer Action Plan.
[Your personalised message will appear here]
I am very concerned about the spread of deer and am pleased that a national plan has finally been developed. Without urgent action, funding and commitment from all levels of government it is clear that feral deer will continue to spread and damage our environment.
The feral deer population in Australia is growing rapidly and spreading across the country, damaging our natural environment, causing havoc for farmers and foresters and threatening public safety. Unlike much of the world where deer are native, our plants and wildlife haven’t evolved to deal with these heavy hard hooved animals with a voracious appetite.
With no natural predators and an ability to adapt to almost all environments, they could occupy almost all of Australia unless stopped. Despite this, state and territory governments have been slow to respond and in Victoria and Tasmania they are still protected by law for the enjoyment of hunters.
This plan should be adopted by all governments but must also be underpinned by dedicated funding and clear responsibilities. A plan without funding or accountability is a plan that will fail and Australia cannot afford for this to fail.
In order to prevent the spread of feral deer and reduce their impact on our native wildlife, ecosystems and agriculture, I ask that the following recommendations be adopted for the final National Feral Deer Action Plan:
1. All federal, state and territory governments should adopt the National Feral Deer Action Plan and declare feral deer to be a priority pest animal species.
2. All federal, state and territory governments should commit to:
3. In order to drive action and the success of this plan, there should be dedicated Commonwealth funding and support for:
4. The expected outcomes for the plan need to be more ambitious, with clear interim targets including:
5. A national feral deer containment map with three zones should be adopted. It should be more ambitious than the zone map in the current draft plan and there should be greater clarity in the naming of the zones. Improvements that should be adopted include:
6. There should be consistent laws and regulations across all states and territories that:
I support the follow principles being adopted in the final National Feral Deer Action Plan: