NSW Premier Chris Minns didn’t announce a plan to fix NSW’s feral animal crisis last week – he floated an idea that would be a taxpayer-funded gift to the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party, which will actually make the problem worse.

Suggesting bounties for feral pigs is an idea that’s been tried and tested, and hasn’t worked.

Suggesting he is open to supporting bounties for feral pigs, cats and goats might sound like strong leadership, but it’s not. It’s an idea that’s been tried, tested and failed wherever it’s been used for widespread, abundant feral animals in Australia. And I have a real concern it’s being dragged back now for one reason: politics.

In a case of history repeating, there is speculation Labor will support a new law this week to hand the hunting lobby a taxpayer-funded platform disguised as “conservation”, reviving key elements of the discredited Game Council – scrapped in 2013 for poor governance and prioritising hunter interests over public good.

As the CEO of the Invasive Species Council, you might be wondering why I care. Surely any little bit helps when........

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