WHERE’S our fair share?
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It’s the question being asked by bat-plagued Cessnock as anger continues to ripple over the state government's $2.5 million pledge to drive flying fox camps out of Batemans Bay.
The commitment – which was made last month as Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull toured marginal electorates on the South Coast with Premier Mike Baird – left little for the Hunter.
Just $1 million was committed to ease bat problems across the rest of the state, with three grants of up to $50,000 per council made available.
Cessnock mayor Bob Pynsent (Labor) criticised the funding as a “drop in the ocean”.
“What annoys me is that if we’re successful, council has to match that funding dollar for dollar,” he said.
“Eurobodalla (Shire) received it no questions asked, it was just allocated to them.
“I would like that everyone is treated equally, the effect on the community is assessed and the funds are allocated fairly and not on political grounds.”
The government denies claims of pork-barrelling on the South Coast and says that region is grappling with larger numbers of flying foxes.
But Hunter MP Joel Fitzgibbon, who last week campaigned on the South Coast to spruik Labor candidates, believed there was little difference.
“Cessnock’s problems are as great as they are in Batemans Bay,” he said.
And the problem could get worse if populations migrate from neighbouring areas.
Singleton last week began removing trees in Burdekin Park, which was recently closed to the public after the bats took over.
Mayor John Martin said there were immediate results and estimates populations are down from a high of 30,000 to less than 5000.
“We’ve taken away their food supply,” he said. “They’ve just gone – I don’t know where.”
Parliamentary secretary for the Hunter, Scot MacDonald, had sympathy for Hunter councils and didn’t rule out the possibility of more funding being made available.
“I’m sure the minister would be receptive to any council that has a special problem,” he said.
Mr MacDonald also said there was no “smoking gun” solution to bat problems in the Hunter, but was encouraged by recent efforts for a region-wide approach to tackling the scourge.
Many decision-makers the Herald spoke to on Sunday did not know whether Singleton’s bat solution could have adverse consequences elsewhere in the Hunter.
“That’s the million-dollar question,” Mr MacDonald said.
“We don’t know and that’s why I think it’s very, very important we have a landscape-wide plan.”
