During Budget Estimates last week in State Parliament, Minister for Agriculture, Bill Byrne, admitted he had not held any meetings on wild dog management, a vital issue to western Queensland, since his appointment as Minister.

Member for Gregory Lachlan Millar said Minister Byrne admitted he hadn’t had time, despite the control of wild dog and feral cats being one of Labor’s only agricultural election commitments.

“I publicly asked the Minister if he had convened a meeting of QDOG. Sadly the answer was no, he hadn’t,” Mr Millar said.

“This admission should ring alarm bells across western Queensland. It is an utter disappointment for every livestock producer who knows the damage wild dogs are doing.”

Mr Millar said he found it disheartening that the Minister hasn’t found time to meet with QDOG, despite having time for two overseas trips since February.”

“We also haven’t seen one cent of the so called $5 million on wild dog funding that was promised to be fast tracked in April by the Minister,” said Mr Millar.

“We have been waiting since April, the Minister promised to fast track the money and it is now almost September. That not good enough.”