Craig Ingram MP - Independent Member for Gippsland East

The Independent Member for Gippsland East, Craig Ingram, has met with both the Minister for the Environment and Minister for Agriculture at Parliament House this week to detail the challenges facing fruit growers in East Gippsland being impacted by fruit bats.

A colony of approximately 20,000 grey-headed flying-foxes, commonly referred to as fruit bats, based in Bairnsdale has been devouring local fruit crops, with local orchardists reporting significant financial impact due to the damage.

“Last week I met with local fruit producers to discuss a range of options that may be implemented to address the enormous financial impact and crop losses facing fruit growers from the thousands of flying-foxes that are raiding orchards in the local area,” Mr Ingram said.

“Grey-headed flying-foxes are a highly migratory protected species and fruit growers along the eastern seaboard have reported similar problems.

“Some of the management tools that have been implemented in other states may work to reduce the local problem, but ultimately the best solution is exclusion netting which is prohibitively expensive.

“I have put the government on notice that it is my view that the best solution is real financial assistance to local growers to erect exclusion netting.

“I have requested that both the ministers meet with local producers to find solutions on how the government can assist local farmers to minimise losses from the bats,” Mr Ingram concluded.