The WA Government will invest a record $18.6 million in wild dog activities across the State over four years to help support jobs in the pastoral industry.
Agriculture and Food Minister Alannah MacTiernan will lead a Wild Dog Forum with key industry stakeholders this Friday (September 15) to chart the most effective expenditure of these funds.
Ms MacTiernan has called on the Federal Government to match the State Government’s funding commitment and to address the shortfall in funding for Western Australia in this space.
The McGowan Government has already locked in $2.36 million to employ an additional eight doggers to work with biosecurity groups across the rangelands to control wild dogs over the next three years.
Another $90,000 will be invested in a veterinary graduate program to sterilise dogs in remote communities to help stop the spread of the wild dog population, with expansion of the program under consideration.
Other initiatives to be considered for funding at the forum include exclusion fencing and extending and repairing sections of the State Barrier Fence.