AJP wants city to ban 1080 poison

THE Animal Justice Party (AJP) has called on the City of Greater Geelong to ban the 1080 pest animal bait from all land under council control.

AJP western regional leader Andy Meddick said the city acted responsibly when it recently banned the use of the anti-coagulant Pindone.

“Now it must continue by ridding the areas it controls of the cruelest poison used in Australia, 1080, because it presents an enormous risk to humans, in particular children, as well as domestic animals and native species.”

For the past 15 years, the council had relied on an annual Pindone baiting program to keep rabbit numbers down.

However, the city stopped Pindone baiting in publicly accessible areas in 2017 due to concerns over product labels, which advised land managers against using Pindone in areas accessible to children.

COGG is presently “researching a safe, cost-effective and integrated solution to implement for the coming season”.

Mr Meddick said 1080 was an indiscriminate killer, with hundreds of recorded deaths of companion animals – mainly dogs, which suffered enormously before dying.

“Death is excruciating, extended and is not limited to the target species, as secondary contamination is the norm, as the poison stays live in the carcass for months.

“It also kills many natives, some of which may well be on the endangered list.”

He said human safety was at risk as the poison was being used in contravention of both the manufacturer’s warning label and the regulations set down by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority.

“We have witnessed an increase in 1080 being used in close proximity to human habitation, waterways, etc, putting the community at enormous, unacceptable risk.

“The area surrounding the Barwon Heads Caravan Park, for instance, regularly undergoes 1080 baiting, with baits laid to within 50 metres of where children are playing and enjoying a holiday.

“Their parents would not be aware of the risk they are in such close proximity to, as there is no antidote, and death is horrendously painful.”

He said he had emailed all councillors, offering to brief them on the subject.

Mr Meddick has been campaigning against the use of 1080 by councils for many years.