Who owns feral camels? Implications for managers of land and resources in central Australia
Stephen T. Garnett A , Greg Williams B , Gillian B. Ainsworth A D and Michael O’Donnell C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A School for Environmental Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT 0909, Australia.
B School of Australian Indigenous Knowledge Systems, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT 0909, Australia.
C Barrister, John Toohey Chambers, Darwin, NT 0800, Australia.
D Corresponding author. Email: gill.ainsworth@cdu.edu.au
The Rangeland Journal 32(1) 87-93 https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ09047
Submitted: 11 July 2009 Accepted: 17 December 2009 Published: 23 March 2010
Abstract
This paper reviews the legislation relating to ownership of feral camels in Australia. We find that, as a general proposition, a feral camel is owned by neither the landowner nor the Government (the Crown), unless State or Territory legislation provides otherwise. This occurs in two limited situations and only for New South Wales and South Australia. Relevant State and Territory legislation can prescribe that feral camels cannot be taken or used without a relevant licence or permit, but only Western Australia and Queensland appear to do this. Lack of legislative certainty about ownership of camels has resulted in a clear market failure whereby there is also little or no private incentive to exercise control. This should be corrected by identifying explicitly that ownership is vested in the Crown. Legal analogues exist with respect to disease control and water management that could form the basis of an appropriate legislative framework.
Additional keywords: legislation, management, ownership, responsibility, welfare.
Acknowledgments
The work reported in this publication is supported by funding from the Australian Government Natural Heritage Trust through the Desert Knowledge (DK) CRC; the views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of the Australian Government or the Desert Knowledge CRC or its participants. The authors would also like to thank DK CRC for inviting us to submit this paper. We also thank the following for their contribution to this research: Rachel Carey, Helen Haritos and Jeremy McGrath as well as the camel project steering committee for their expert advice and feedback.
References
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act (1984). Available at: OpenDocument (accessed 10 July 2009).
Agriculture and Related Resources Protection (Declared Animals) Regulations (1985). Available at: www.slp.wa.gov.au/legislation/statutes.nsf/main_mrtitle_1114_homepage.html (accessed 10 July 2009).
Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Land Rights Act (1981). Available at: ANANGU%20PITJANTJATJARA%20YANKUNYTJATJARA%20LAND%20RIGHTS%20ACT%201981.aspx (accessed 10 July 2009).
Biological Control Act (1984). Available at: http://agsearch.ag.gov.au/clsearch/ (accessed 10 July 2009).
Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act (2007). Available at: www.slp.wa.gov.au/legislation/statutes.nsf/main_mrtitle_2736_homepage.html (accessed 10 July 2009).
Blackstone
W.
(1765–9). ‘Of Property in Things Natural.’ Book 2, Ch.25. Commentaries on the Laws of England. (Clarendon Press: Oxford, UK.)
Blades v. Higgs (1865). 11 ER 14774.
Carey
R.
,
O’Donnell
M.
,
Ainsworth
G.
,
Garnett
S.
,
Haritos
H.
, and
Williams
G.
(2008). ‘Review of legislation and regulations relating to feral camel management.’ DKCRC Research Report 50. (Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre: Alice Springs.)
Choquenot
D.
,
Caughley
J.
, and
McLeod
S.
(1998). ‘Scientific, Economic and Social Issues of Commercial Use of Wild Animals in Australia.’ (Bureau of Resource Sciences: Canberra.)
Crown Lands Act (1929). Available at: www.legislation.sa.gov.au/LZ/C/A/CROWN%20LANDS%20ACT%201929.aspx (accessed 10 July 2009).
Emergency Animal Disease Response Agreement (2001). Available at: www.animalhealthaustralia.com.au/programs/eadp/eadra.cfm (accessed 10 July 2009).
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (1999). Available at: OpenDocument (accessed 10 July 2009).
Goble D. D.
(2005) Three cases/four tales: commons, capture, the public trust, and property in land. Environmental Law (Northwestern School of Law) 35, 807–854.
(accessed 10 July 2009).
Land Administration Act (1997). Available at: www.slp.wa.gov.au/legislation/statutes.nsf/main_mrtitle_509_homepage.html (accessed 10 July 2009).
Land Administration Regulations (1998). Available at: www.slp.wa.gov.au/legislation/statutes.nsf/main_mrtitle_1660_homepage.html (accessed 10 July 2009).
Land Protection (Pest and Stock Route Management) Act (2002). Available at: www.legislation.qld.gov.au/Acts_SLs/Acts_SL_L.htm (accessed 10 July 2009).
Maralinga Tjarutja Land Rights Act (1984). Available at: www.legislation.sa.gov.au/LZ/C/A/MARALINGA%20TJARUTJA%20LAND%20RIGHTS%20ACT%201984.aspx (accessed 10 July 2009).
McLeod
S. R.
, and
Pople
A. R.
(2008). ‘Modelling Management Options for Management of Feral Camels in Central Australia.’ DKCRC Research Report 48. (Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre: Alice Springs.)
Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: Feral Livestock Animals (1992). ‘Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: Feral Livestock Animals.’ PISC Report 34. (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne; PISC: Victoria.)
Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Feral Animals: the Camel (2006). ‘Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Feral Animals: the Camel (Camelus dromedarius).’ 2nd edn, PISC Report 86. (CSIRO Publishing; PISC: Victoria.)
Nada Shah v. Sleeman (1917). 17 WALR 119, 122 (McMillan C.J.)
National Parks and Wildlife Act (1974). Available at: National%20Parks%20and%20Wildlife%20Act%201974%20No%2080%22&nohits=y (accessed 10 July 2009).
Natural Resources Management Act (2004). Available at: www.legislation.sa.gov.au/LZ/C/A/NATURAL%20RESOURCES%20MANAGEMENT%20ACT%202004.aspx (accessed 10 July 2009).
Nature Conservation Act (1992). Available at: www.legislation.qld.gov.au/Acts_SLs/Acts_SL_N.htm (accessed 10 July 2009).
Nature Conservation (Administration) Regulations (2006). Available at: www.legislation.qld.gov.au/Acts_SLs/Acts_SL_N.htm (accessed 10 July 2009).
Nature Conservation (Protected Areas) Regulation (1994). Available at: www.legislation.qld.gov.au/Acts_SLs/Acts_SL_N.htm (accessed 10 July 2009).
Non Indigenous Animals Act (1987). Available at: Non-Indigenous%20Animals%20Act%201987%20No%20166%22&nohits=y (accessed 10 July 2009).
Non Indigenous Animals Regulation (2006). Available at: Non-Indigenous%20Animals%20Regulation%202006%22&nohits=y (accessed 10 July 2009).
Pastoral Land Management and Conservation Act (1989). Available at: PASTORAL%20LAND%20MANAGEMENT%20AND%20CONSERVATION%20ACT%201989.aspx (accessed 10 July 2009).
Pastoral Land Regulations (1999). Available at: OpenDocument (accessed 10 July 2009).
R. v. Lee (1830). NSWSC 3.
Rural Lands Protection Act (1998). Available at: Rural%20Lands%20Protection%20Act%201998%20No%20143%22&nohits=y (accessed 10 July 2009).
Saalfield
W. K.
, and
Edwards
G. P.
(2008). Ecology of feral camels in Australia, Chapter 2. In: ‘Cross-jurisdictional Management of Feral Camels to Protect NRM and Cultural Values’. DKCRC Report 47. (Eds G. P. Edwards, B. Zeng, W. K. Saalfeld, P. Vaarzon-Morel and M. McGregor) (Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre: Alice Springs.)
Stock Act (1915). Available at: www.legislation.qld.gov.au/Acts_SLs/Acts_SL_S.htm (accessed 10 July 2009).
Sutton v. Moody (1702). 91 ER 1063.
Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act (2005). Available at: OpenDocument (accessed 10 July 2009).
Walden v. Hensler (1987). 163 CLR 561.
Wildlife Conservation Act (1950). Available at: www.slp.wa.gov.au/legislation/statutes.nsf/main_mrtitle_1080_homepage.html (accessed 10 July 2009).
Yanner v. Eaton (1999). 201 CLR 351.
