Politicians make an appeal to Schroot Bill with the recognition of the heritage value of Brummbies

Some NSW politicians say an attempt to delete a bill that protects the heritage value of wild horse populations in the NSW Snowy Mountains is “not off the table”.

A debate took place in the NSW parliament in Sydney on Thursday afternoon, inspired by a petition of 11,300 signs in which the Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Act 2018 was called to be withdrawn.

The law, also known as the Brumby Bill, recognizes and protects the heritage of wild horses in the park.

It has formed the Kosciuszko Wild Heritage Management Plan, which should reduce the thousands of horses in the park in June 2027 with the help of various methods, including shooting on the air.

Independent member of Wagga Wagga Joe McGirr, whose voters include the NSW snowy mountains, said he wanted to scrap the Brummby Bill and supported the petition in parliament.

“The Wild Horse Heritage Act has the bizarre effect of supporting an introduced species in a national park above the native animals and plants,” he said.

“This law cannot be justified in environmental terms.

Member of Bankstown Jihad Dib, who spoke as a representative of the NSW minister of Environment Penny Sharpe, said that the state government would not strive for withdrawal and would continue to concentrate on achieving the goal of 2027.

“The NSW government therefore does not consider the withdrawal of the Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Act 2018 after a priority at the moment,” said Mr Dib.

However, Labor’s member for Blue Mountains, Trisha Lee Doyle, suggested that a withdrawal would be possible.

“I understand that this request, on your behalf by the member of Wagga Wagga, was not set off the table,” she said.

Labor’s member for Monaro, Steve Whan, whose voters shares the snowy mountains, repeated sentiment.

“I think we will eventually reach the withdrawal of this legislation,” he said.

Liberal’s member for Manly, James Griffin and Green’s member for Balmain, Kobi Shetty, also spoke to support the petition.

Packed gallery

Almost 100 supporters of scrapping the 2018 act came to see the 30 -minute debate.

Many had signed the petition under the leadership of Canberra Resident and Invasive Types Council Volunteer, Linda Groom, and gathered at 50 different locations in NSW for a period of 10 months in 2024.

Mrs. Groom said she wanted no horses in the park.

She said she had hoped that Labor would do a “clearer dedication”, but was stimulated by some of the cross-party support on the subject.

“Labor said it was not a priority at the moment … But they also said it was on the table,” she said.

“We think, with more work, it will happen.”

The Australian Brummby Alliance President Nikki Alberts has expressed doubts about what would happen to the horses if there was a revocation, and that animal welfare was a priority.

“I want to see something in place that withdrawing the bill does not mean that they are going into the air in an air,” she said.

“I want to see a management plan in the future, whether it has been withdrawn or not, where people can work together, instead of parks and the government that closes us.”

In October 2023 it was estimated that the population of Brummbies in the park had reached between 12,000 and 21,000.

In March, NSW -Minister of Environment Penny Sharpe indicated that between 3,000 and 4,000 wild horses in Kosciuszko National Park remained.

The peer-reviewed study of that count, carried out in 2024, still has to be published, to the great concern of Mrs. Alberts.

“How do they know that they are on track if they cannot release the numbers to us,” she said.