The NSW Government has been aware of these issues for some time, promising back in 2001 that the shooting of Flying-Foxes would be phased out within three years. Despite this, the Government continues to delay and wheel out excuses as to why shooting cannot be banned. Nowhere in today's announcement does it state when the shooting will finally stop.

The latest of these excuses is that economic analysis needs to be undertaken to examine the options outlined in the review panel report. HSI believes that this research should have been undertaken during the course of the review.

“Despite overwhelming evidence on the ineffectiveness of shooting Flying-Foxes to protect crops, and the extreme cruelty caused as a result of this method, the NSW Government continues to licence animal cruelty”, said Alexia Wellbelove of Humane Society International, “Carmel Tebbutt should have the courage to ban what the review panel has stated is unacceptable ethically and legally. We call on Carmel Tebbutt to follow the lead of the Queensland Government and ban the issuing of licences to shoot Flying-Foxes now, before more animals are condemned to a slow torturous death”.

Wildlife carers have told HSI they cannot go through another season caring for badly injured Flying-Foxes. They will be throwing their hands up in despair today.

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