Luke Hartsuyker (Cowper, National Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise in this adjournment debate to raise a matter of importance to the students of Maclean High School and Maclean TAFE, the surrounding residents and the wider Maclean community. We have a situation where the grounds in and around Maclean High School have been infested by a bat colony. We have a situation where the wellbeing of bats is being put ahead of the health and wellbeing of students, staff and the surrounding residents. We have a situation where it appears that the primary concern of government departments, both state and federal, is the health of bats and the total and wilful neglect of the health of people. Governments, state and federal, owe a duty of care to the students of Maclean High and Maclean TAFE and the residents of the surrounding area. This duty is being neglected in favour of the interests of a colony of bats.

The community may well ask who will take responsibility for the health of the students at Maclean High. Is it the state minister for education, is it the director-general for education or is it the federal minister for the environment? Can these ministers and bureaucrats guarantee that the health of students of Maclean High School and Maclean TAFE will not be adversely affected by this unwanted invasion? Upon what basis can these ministers and bureaucrats guarantee that these students will not contract the Hendra virus or some other animal-borne disease? Why is it that the colony cannot be moved during the breeding season from September to April due to concern about the wellbeing of the bats when the health of our children and the staff of the schools is at risk? What happens to the health of our children between the months of September and April? Why is it that, whilst governments fiddle, a solution is many months if not years away? How is it tolerable that our students are defecated on by bats and how is it tolerable that bat faeces is walked through every classroom in the school? Can the state education department guarantee that the school grounds are a hygienic learning environment when bat faeces is being trodden through every classroom?

I believe that, for the sake of the students and staff and the sake of the surrounding residents, our community can demand that these bats are moved immediately. The risk to students, staff and surrounding residents is just too great. The education department and the minister are grossly negligent for allowing this situation to continue. The federal minister also must act. It is all too easy to provide excuses. If legislation is required, it should be passed without delay. We need an immediate solution, not endless delay. The bureaucrats talk of ‘developing a multistakeholder management strategy for flying foxes’—a very interesting concept. The only strategy that will protect the students is to move the bats, the only strategy that will protect the staff is to move the bats and the only strategy that will protect the residents of the surrounding area is to move the bats. The bureaucrats talk of ‘identifying measures which will reduce conflict between the flying fox camp and school activities’. Well, get rid of the bats. That is the clear message from the students.

The state Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water can issue a certificate to disperse the bats. The federal minister for the environment can then approve a licence for the colony to be relocated. This must occur immediately. I invite Minister Garrett to visit Maclean and see this problem firsthand. The problem may well require special legislation and that should be dealt with by the parliament without delay. We should not have to wait for the death or serious illness of a student before the current ‘Yes, Minister’ approach is ditched in favour of serious action. We spend millions of dollars on preventative health programs each year. Getting rid of the bats is a vitally important preventative measure for the staff and students of Maclean High School and Maclean TAFE and the surrounding residents. For the responsible ministers to continue to fiddle is gross negligence on a grand scale.