Join us in calling on the New South Wales Government to launch a parliamentary inquiry into Dingo management across the state

Dingoes are the only native mammals in New South Wales specifically exempt from protections under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016, allowing their unregulated management both in the wild and in captivity. It’s time this changed.

Join us in calling on the New South Wales Government to launch a parliamentary inquiry into Dingo management.

An ecologically vital animal

Dingoes are important apex predators in Australia’s natural environment, including in New South Wales. Their presence in the ecosystem works to maintain the balance of native herbivores like macropods, as well as regulate and remove feral species such as goats and pigs. Without Dingoes, food web pathways become unstable, and prey species become overabundant. This not only affects native plant communities but also leads to a decrease in available habitat and food for small and medium-sized animals in the environment.

Removing Dingoes from Country is causing an ecological crisis.

A culturally significant animal for Traditional Owners

Last year, a first-of-its-kind National Inaugural First Nations Dingo Forum took place in Cairns, bringing together over 100 First Nations people from 20 different Nations to have their say on current Dingo management. The forum resulted in the writing and signing of the National First Nations Dingo Declaration, which outlines a strong Indigenous perspective on the Dingo and how Traditional Owners wish to see them managed on Country.

The declaration outlines:
“We do not support the use of the term ‘wild dog’. This term diminishes the Dingo. It is a deliberate misrepresentation to justify killing. It disrespects and disregards culture.”

“We do not, and have never, approved the killing of Dingoes. Killing Dingoes is killing family. We demand an immediate stop to this ‘management’ across Australia.”

Image: Minyumai head rangers Maitland and Harry Wilson, Upper house Greens MP Sue Higginson and the National First Nations Dingo Declaration

Read the National First Nations Dingo Declaration

Trapped, shot and poisoned, even in conservation areas like National Parks

Image: Catriona Marshall

Despite being a culturally and ecologically significant animal, Dingoes are classified as a priority pest animal under the 11 Regional Strategic Pest Animal Management Plans developed by Local Land Services. It is therefore a requirement for landholders to kill Dingoes under the General Biosecurity Duty of the Biosecurity Act 2015.

The New South Wales Government incorrectly classifies Dingoes as 'wild dogs’. However, recent genetic research which analyses 195,000 genetic markers demonstrates that domestic dogs do not form wild populations in Australia. Instead, the study confirms that the wild canines found in the bush are indeed Dingoes.

Dingoes are targeted extensively with 1080 poison baiting and trapping and shooting, even in conservation areas like National Parks.

Harmful classifications are causing a welfare crisis for Dingoes in captivity

As Dingoes are specifically exempt from protections under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016, they are not afforded the protections that other native wildlife receive. Incidentally, this has led to Dingoes being classed as dogs under the Companion Animals Act 1998.

Image: Louise Donoghue

This means that anyone - literally anyone - can keep, breed, and sell Dingoes without any enforced oversight or regulation. This is creating a welfare crisis for Dingoes across the state, with backyard breeding and trading running rife.

Sydney Dingo Rescue, a Dingo rescue organisation, is not only handling an influx of wild-born dingo pups orphaned by culling programs each year, but also the irresponsible and unregulated backyard breeding of Dingoes.

This pup season alone, which is only just starting, Sydney Dingo Rescue has taken in 10 puppies: 2 wild-born and a whopping 7 bred in captivity. The high number of deliberately bred dingoes entering care reduces the space available for orphaned wild-born puppies.

70% of Sydney Dingo Rescue’s resources are utilised in rescuing and rehoming unwanted Dingoes who have been bred in captivity.

The Minyumai Indigenous Rangers are leading the way on Dingo (Ngugum) management in New South Wales

The Minyumai Dingo Management Program demonstrates a different approach to Dingo management—Caring for Dingoes on Country—which combines traditional Bandjalang knowledge with Western science. The objectives include identifying populations, distribution, diet (through scat analysis), range, and behavior of the Dingo (Ngugum). Further, the Minyumai Rangers have identified opportunities to integrate the Dingo (Ngugum) within their feral animal control program on the IPA.

Following the National Forum, the Minyumai Rangers of the Bandjalang clan have implemented a groundbreaking Dingo management program on the 2,000-hectare Indigenous Protected Area (IPA).

The Minyumai Rangers, supported by Upper House Greens MP Sue Higginson and other experts, are calling for an inquiry into Dingo management across the state of New South Wales.

Will you join them?

Urge the New South Wales Government to launch an inquiry into Dingo management across the state.

Please take a minute to write to the New South Wales Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty to support the Minyumai Rangers calls for a parliamentary inquiry into Dingo management