Newsroom

September 3, 2024

State Member for Hill, Shane Knuth, has today slammed the State Government's latest so-called "public safety" measure announcement which imposes heavy fines on Queenslanders for unintentionally feeding crocodiles by leaving scraps at jetties or campsites.

"This is nothing more than a band-aid fix," Knuth declared. "The state government has failed to manage the crocodile crisis for over a decade, and now it’s completely out of control."

Knuth criticized the state government's inability to grasp the severity of the problem.

"Ask anyone who regularly fishes or uses our waterways—they’ll tell you the crocodile population has exploded.
No matter how 'croc-wise' you are, you’re under constant threat of attack."

He expressed outrage that the best solutions the government can come up with are putting up warning signs, closing popular beaches and waterways, and now, fining people for enjoying their outdoor lifestyle.

"This is a Northern Queensland issue, and it should be managed locally, not from over 1,800 km away in an ivory tower."

Knuth first introduced his Safer Waterways Bill in 2018, which the government voted against. Yet, the crocodile problem has only worsened, leading him to recently table the Crocodile Control, Conservation, and Safety Bill.

"A key component of this bill is establishing a Queensland Crocodile Authority (QCA) based in Cairns, with full control over crocodile management across the state," Knuth explained.

"This includes a zero-tolerance policy on crocodiles in populated waterways, annual culling, and developing a crocodile industry for Indigenous communities and landowners.

Private landowners can also contact the QCA to immediately remove crocodiles on their property.
The focus is, and always should be, on protecting human life."

Knuth emphasized that local problems require local knowledge and quick decision-making process which the QCA would be fully responsible for.

"This latest announcement is just another throwaway line that does nothing to resolve the explosion in crocodile numbers and the threat to human life."