DESPERATE fruit growers across Queensland remain on a knife-edge as the Bligh Government's green agenda abandons their crops to the mercy of flying fox attacks over summer.
Growers were told this week by peak lobby group Growcom that the State Government has no intention of reinstating their damage mitigation permits (DMPs) for the control of flying foxes on humane grounds.
The State Government has instead recommitted to funding trials of alternative control methods at three farms in Stanthorpe, Childers and Sarina and conducting research in a bid to find a "long term strategy".
However, specific projects have not yet been announced or funded, strengthening doubts that any progress made has now stalled.
Industry figures contacted by Queensland Country Life all agree that it's certain growers won't see any practical action in the crucial weeks ahead while trees are loaded with ripening fruit and government enters the Christmas recess.
It has been more than 18 months since the Government withdrew farmers' rights to cull flying foxes. In that time Climate Change Minister Kate Jones, her predecessor Andrew McNamara and Primary Industries Minister Tim Mulherin have refused to implement a transition period that would assist growers to protect their crops while non-lethal control options are investigated.
NSW growers, who are also facing similar action by their State Government in the future, have received the consolation of a transition period that gives them access to established controls, a further point of contention among Queensland growers who say their interstate counterparts now enjoy an unfair advantage.
Premier Anna Bligh's Ministers have also seemingly closed the door on hearing from growers on the issue. The body that consults to QPIF on flying fox management, the Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (AWAC) has rejected a draft code of practice for the humane control of flying foxes prepared by the Bundaberg Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association.
Bundaberg lychee grower John Kajewski who had input into the draft code, said growers were now threatening to revert to the shooting of flying foxes in contravention of the law.
"Growers up and down the coast are ringing me to report their crops are already being eaten out," he said.
"We have a government that is not listening and a working group that's a complete waste of time. Growers will do what they have to do to protect their crops."
Opposition spokesman Ray Hopper said some growers in the Burnett had ploughed out their fruit trees and were planting macadamias and sugarcane to find relief from the flying fox threat.
"It's absolutely disgusting of this Government that they would withdraw mitigation permits without putting in alternative means of control first," he said.
"NSW tried this, but listened to the advice of CSIRO scientists who said it wasn't working and that culling had actually increased because growers were taking matters into their own hands.
"The permits were reinstated, and I'm calling on Mulherin to have some guts and do it here."
Growcom chief advocate Rachel McKenzie said the Government had left growers with no options. She said AWAC had recommended that a transition period be implemented, but that no indication had been received from the State Government that it would consider the request.
"It's very disappointing that the State Government accepts some of the recommendations of its own appointed advisory body but chooses not to accept all of it. Nothing has been put on the table by the State Government that growers can viably use. The government must be aware that their action will impact significantly on the economic output of this State.
"Growers who just held on last year after getting attacked won't be able to hold on again if the same happens this year. The State government is putting business people out of business."
Mr Kajewski said he had spent $150,000 in the last financial year to install 21, 2000 watt lights to cover 12 hectares of his orchard. He estimates it costs him $100 a night to run the lights from dusk to dawn.
"They light the place up like a footy field and they're working well, but they're expensive and they use a lot of electricity. You also can't run them if you live closer to town, although the lack of council regulation around this stuff means growers aren't sure what they can and can't do.
"I've looked at full canopy netting, but at $50,000 a hectare it was going to cost me a million bucks, and you don't get rebates for any of this and there's no netting insurance, so if they get ripped in a bad storm or cyclone it comes out of your pocket to fix it."
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