the potential impact which commercial utilisation of native wildlife might have on the Australian environment;
the current and future economic viability of these commercial activities; and
the adequacy of existing Federal Government regulations and controls to ensure biodiversity of any native species commercially utilised.

ABBREVIATIONS

AACW	Australians Against Commercialisation of Wildlife
ACIL	ACIL Economics Pty Ltd
AFA	Avicultural Federation of Australia
AKF	Australian Koala Foundation
ANCA	Australian Nature Conservation Agency
ANZECC	Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council
ANZFAS	Australian and New Zealand Federation of Animal Societies
AQIS	Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service
ARMCANZ	Agriculture and Resource Ministers Council of Australia and New Zealand
ATSIC	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission
ACSUG	Asian Conservation and Sustainable Use Group
AWAC	Animal Welfare Advisory Committee
AWMS	Australasian Wildlife Management Society
AWPC	Australian Wildlife Protection Council
BRS	Bureau of Resource Sciences
CAEPR	Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (ANU)
CALM	Department of Conservation and Land Management (WA)
CAMPFIRE	Communal Areas Management Program for Indigenous Resources
CDEP	Community Development Employment Projects
CITES	Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species
COAG	Council of Australian Governments
CSIRO	Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
CYHS	Cape York Herpetological Society
DENR	Department of Environment and Natural Resources (SA – subsequently renamed the Department for Environment, Heritage and Aboriginal Affairs )
DEST	Department of Environment, Sport and Territories
DPI	Department of Primary Industries
EIDC	Emu Industry Development Committee (Victoria)
EIS	environmental impact statement
EU	European Union
FNQ	Far North Queensland Network
HSI	Humane Society International
HSUS	Humane Society of the United States
IFAW	International Fund for Animal Welfare
IUCN	International Union for the Conservation of Nature
KIAA	Kangaroo Industry Association of Australia
MAP	Model Avicultural Program
MLC	Member, Legislative Council
MLA	Member, Legislative Assembly
NCCAW	National Consultative Committee on Animal Welfare
NBLA	National Bird Liberation Alliance
NFF	The National Farmers' Federation
NGO	Non-Government Organisation
NPWS	National Parks and Wildlife Service
NSESD	National Strategy for Ecologically Sustainable Development
PIJAC	Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council of Australia Ltd
QCBS	Queensland Council of Bird Societies
RRA&T	Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport (Reference Committee)
R&D	Research and Development
RIRDC	Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation
RSPCA	Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
TAFE	(College of) Technical and Further Education
TCT	Tasmanian Conservation Trust
VIVA!	Vegetarian International Voice for Animals
WIRES	Wildlife and Information Rescue Service
WWF	World Wide Fund for Nature (formerly World Wildlife Fund)

CONDUCT OF THE INQUIRY

On 30 October 1996, the Senate referred this matter to the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee for inquiry and report by 26 May 1997. The terms of reference were advertised in the national press and on the Internet in late December 1996 and over 200 submissions were initially received. On 26 May 1997, the Committee tabled an interim report which stated, inter alia:

The Committee's preliminary review of these submissions shows that the subject is a complex one and that some aspects of it are of considerable concern to many people. … The Committee has therefore decided to conduct an extensive program of public hearings and inspections throughout Australia during the second half of the year and expects that a comprehensive report will be available early in 1998.

The reporting date was subsequently extended until 30 June 1998.

The Committee received a final total of 341 submissions from a range of individuals and organisations (Appendix 1). A large proportion of the submissions received by the Committee were brief personal letters expressing strong oppostion to any commercial use of wildlife in Australia (192 submissions), although usually with the exception of nature-based or ecotourism. However, almost half of these submissions (92) were form letters or variations of form letters. There were also a number of submissions sent by people which discussed aspects of the inquiry without commenting whether they approved of commercial use of wildlife (16).

A large number of non-government organisations sent submissions (59). Two thirds of these were from regional conservation or animal welfare groups (39); the remainder coming from larger, peak bodies (20). Other submissions came from industry (28), from state government instrumentalities (17), Federal Government departments (3), members of parliament or representatives of local councils (4) or groups representing Aboriginal people (6). A number of submissions were also sent by academics and wildlife scientists or consultants (16).

The Committee held 14 public hearings and 11 inspections, covering all states of Australia (Appendix 2). Oral contributions were taken from 102 witnesses or groups of witnesses (Appendix 3), and 1225 pages of evidence were taken.

APPENDIX 1
List of Submissions
APPENDIX 2
List of Public Hearings and Inspections
APPENDIX 3
List of Witnesses
APPENDIX 4
Criteria for declaration of Management Programs and Controlled Specimen Programs under the Wildlife Protection (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Act 1982

Table of Contents

Commercial Utilisation of Australian Native Wildlife

Table of Contents