The Queensland local government sector has called on the State to provide greater clarity around key issues of flying fox management impacting local communities.

Delegates attending the Local Government Association of Queensland annual conference in Cairns yesterday voted in support of enhanced State and local government powers to remove flying fox colonies from urban areas.

In a wide-ranging debate, Councils:

• Agreed to lobby for the streamlining of State and Federal approval processes related to flying fox management in urban areas in a motion tabled by Ipswich City Council; and
• Called for stronger powers to reduce numbers in problem flying fox colonies and to enable flying fox free zones around vulnerable communities in a resolution put forward by Lockyer Valley Regional Council.

LGAQ President Margaret de Wit said that while councils were pleased the State Government had acted to remove red tape around flying fox dispersal earlier this year, the contentious issue required continual cooperation between all parties.

“The management of flying fox roosts on public school land is an example of an area where lines of responsibility could be blurred between State, Federal and local governments,” she said.

Councils also moved to have problem flying fox colonies residing on state land managed by the relevant state department.

Cr de Wit said many councils could not afford to maintain the illusion that council was the sole party involved in the management of troublesome flying fox roosts.

“Many do not have the resources to be burdened with assessing and managing roosts on state owned land,” she said.

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