{"id":157124,"date":"2016-09-07T23:44:12","date_gmt":"2016-09-07T13:44:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=157124"},"modified":"2020-10-05T16:58:15","modified_gmt":"2020-10-05T06:58:15","slug":"dingo-love-licks-shadow-mps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2016\/09\/07\/dingo-love-licks-shadow-mps\/","title":{"rendered":"Dingo Love Licks Shadow MPs"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Shadow Environment Minister Dr Christian Rowan, Fraser Coast Wildlife Sanctuary curator\u00a0Ray Revill,\u00a0“Dingo” Simon Stretton and Shadow Housing Minister Stephen Bennett with\u00a0“Honey”, a pure-bred ginger Alpine dingo\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

September 8, 2016<\/strong><\/p>\n

It’s not every day that you’ll find a couple of LNP Members of Parliament – and Shadow Ministers, at that – saying nice things about dingoes …<\/p>\n

In LNP circles – especially out west – the word “dingo” is usually followed by “baiting”, “trapping” or “shooting”.<\/p>\n

But this week Shadow Environment Minister Dr Christian Rowan, the Member for Moggill, and Shadow Housing Minister Stephen Bennett, the Member for Burnett, paid a visit to the Durong Dingo Sanctuary to make friends with some pure-bred dingoes.<\/p>\n

Dr Rowan, who succeeded Mr Bennett as Shadow Environment Minister, said many people perceived dingoes as just “bad”, especially graziers and sheep producers who lose stock to predation by wild dogs.<\/p>\n

However, he recognised there were others who perceived the native animals as “good”, especially people such as Durong Dingo Sanctuary founder Simon Stretton – known widely as “Dingo Simon” – and Simon ‘s friend, Fraser Coast Wildlife Sanctuary curator\u00a0Ray Revill.<\/p>\n

And that was the reason for the Shadow Ministers’ visit – to hear from the other side about dingos, and learn more about the evidence base that is being developed that demonstrates a positive case for dingos in the natural environment.<\/p>\n

Simon and Ray have dreams of developing a dingo sanctuary one day on Fraser Island, ideas which the pair had an opportunity to explain in greater detail to the two Shadow Ministers.<\/p>\n

Mr Bennett said the visit to the Durong Dingo Sanctuary was an opportunity for Dr Rowan to hear alternative views “from some strong-willed men” which he could consider when discussing policy development.<\/strong><\/p>\n

“It is a matter of striking a balance since there are other matters that have to be considered, especially in regards to primary producers and other landholders,” Dr Rowan said.<\/p>\n

“But I have heard some innovative thinking out of the box, innovative models that recognise the positive aspects of dingoes and what they can do for the environment.”<\/p>\n

He pointed to the unexpected positive results which had occurred in Yellowstone National Park in the United States after wolves were reintroduced into the ecosystem.<\/p>\n

Ray and Simon may have been persuasive in their pro-dingo arguments, but the greatest advocates were probably the dingoes themselves.<\/p>\n

“Honey”, a pure-bred Alpine dingo, had them eating out of her hands (or more accurately, vice versa …)<\/p>\n

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