A n n u a l R e p o r t

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1 2009/2010 A n n u a l R e p o r t GAME COUNCIL NSW 2009/2010 ANNUAL REPORT

2 Copyright Game Council NSW 2010 Game Council NSW PO Box 2506/52 Hill Street ORANGE NSW 2800 Ph: (02) Fax: (02) Website: Produced by the Communications Section, Game Council NSW 2 GAME COUNCIL NSW 2009/2010 ANNUAL REPORT

3 GAME COUNCIL NSW 2009/2010 ANNUAL REPORT TABLE OF CONTENTS: PART A Letter of Submission 4 Chairman s Welcome 5 CEO s Report 6 Charter, Objectives & Functions 7 Conservation Hunting 8 Management & Structure 9 Corporate Governance 11 Milestones & Achievements: First Voluntary Game Rangers appointed 13 New information and promotional materials, new property sign 14 Ecological Deer Management 15 Game and feral animal species harvest counts 16 Written permission system, trade shows attended 17 Green Bullet Award, Pig Dog Hunting Workshop 18 First Occasional Lecture held, Bow Hunting Workshop 19 Administration 20 PART B: 2009/2010 FINANCIAL REPORT 23 3 GAME COUNCIL NSW 2009/2010 ANNUAL REPORT

4 Game Council NSW PO Box 2506 Orange NSW 2800 Ph: (02) Fax: (02) The Hon Steve Whan MP Minister for Primary Industries Minister for Emergency Services Minister for Rural Affairs Level 33, Governor Macquarie Tower 1 Farrer Place SYDNEY NSW 2000 Dear Minister Whan, We have pleasure in submitting the Annual Report of the Game Council of NSW for the year ended 30 June The report details the progress and relevant statutory and financial information of this statutory body. The report is for submission to the Parliament of NSW and has been prepared in accordance with the Annual Reports (Statutory Bodies) Act 1984 and its associated Regulation of Yours sincerely, Brian Boyle Chief Executive Officer John Mumford Chairman 4 GAME COUNCIL NSW 2009/2010 ANNUAL REPORT

5 C H A I R M A N S W E L C O M E By Cr John Mumford Chairman, Game Council NSW The year 2009/2010 was one of continued growth for Game Council NSW, with a new benchmark of 12,500 current game hunting licence holders being achieved during this reporting period. Holding a game hunting licence is not compulsory for firearm licence holders in New South Wales but is now recognised as a genuine reason for holding a NSW firearms licence. Game Council is required to sell the benefits of Voluntary Conservation Hunting to potential hunters and to the public. The fact that so many people have chosen to take up a game hunting licence is a reflection of how well the Voluntary Conservation Hunting movement has worked together. With the Game Council s dedicated staff, the network of accredited licence assessors (who provide testing and accreditation often at no charge) and the support of more than 160 Approved Hunting Organisations, it is little surprise to me that the number of game hunting licences continues to increase strongly. Game hunting licence holders themselves have had an exceptional year, harvesting 15,232 game and feral animals from declared State forests in NSW. This was a 34 per cent rise on the previous year, and again reflects the growth in game hunting licence sales and the corresponding jump in licensed hunting activity. This growth is also becoming more and more important to the State s economy. The latest Public Benefit Analysis carried out on Game Council NSW by independent consultant, AEC Group Limited, showed the average game hunting licence holder spent $5180 last financial year on his or her Voluntary Conservation Hunting interest. That added up to a $50.1 million positive economic impact in New South Wales and also sustained an estimated 900 industry jobs. Two-thirds of those jobs were in rural and regional areas, and that is a very important contribution to the State s wellbeing overall. Aside from the economic gains, the fundamental benefit to NSW from the reduction in game and feral animals is outstanding. To date, since hunting first commenced in State forests in March 2006, Voluntary Conservation Hunters have taken nearly 41,000 game and feral animals out of declared State forests. When this is considered alongside the estimated 620,000 game and feral animals being removed from farms by Voluntary Conservation Hunters each year, the benefit to our environmental and agricultural sectors is abundantly clear. That was certainly reflected in the latest Public Benefit Assessment, which recommended that the NSW Government s recurrent funding of Game Council should be identified as a community service obligation and a cost-effective method of achieving its natural resource management objectives, specifically game and feral animal control. 5 GAME COUNCIL NSW 2009/2010 ANNUAL REPORT

6 C E O S R E P O R T By Brian Boyle Chief Executive Officer, Game Council NSW Implementation of the Game Council s strategic goals has seen a number of new initiatives implemented by Game Council NSW during the 2009/2010 financial year. Foremost among the initiatives carried out in 2009/10 were: The continuation of Game Council s advertising campaign which seeks to create interest in hunting and uptake of game hunting licences. The beginning of two Ecological Deer Management projects, in southern NSW and in the Illawarra region. The first Game Council NSW Occasional Lecture, an initiative aimed at keeping New South Wales at the forefront of modern game management. The holding of the Inaugural Bow Hunting Workshop and the Inaugural Pig Dog Hunting Workshop, with these two ground-breaking Hunter Education events being the first provided by any government department or agency in Australia. Attendance at all major hunting and outdoor shows, providing licence testing and compliance advice to the broader hunting community. Holding the first public land fox drive in Australia, with a successful trial event conducted at Vulcan State forest near Oberon. The continued operation of 28 Conservation Hunting Groups around NSW, which greatly assisted landholders with game and feral animal problems. Maintaining the regional office network of Game Council offices, with a taskforce of seven Game Managers providing an enforcement presence in all corners of the State. The appointment of the Game Council s first Voluntary Game Rangers. In summary, 2009/10 was a growth year for Voluntary Conservation Hunting with new records set for game hunting licence sales and numbers of game and feral animals taken; a year of significant gains in Hunter Education and game management research; and a year in which game hunting licence holders could become involved with Game Council in a wider range of volunteer roles and event participation. 6 GAME COUNCIL NSW 2009/2010 ANNUAL REPORT

7 C h a r t e r, O b j e c t i v e s & F u n c t i o n s Game Council s charter The Game Council of NSW is a statutory government authority created by the NSW Parliament under the Game and Feral Animal Control Act 2002 and is, in all respects, subject to the control and direction of the Minister for Primary Industries in the exercise of its functions except in relation to the contents of any report or recommendation made by it. Objectives: Under the Game and Feral Animal Control Act 2002, Game Council s objectives are: a) To provide for the effective management of introduced species of game animals, and b) To promote responsible and orderly hunting of those game animals on public and private land and of certain pest animals on public land. Functions: The Game and Feral Animal Control Act provides Game Council NSW with the following functions: Liaise with other agencies in regard to feral and pest animal control Administer a game hunting licence system Make recommendations on the declaration of public lands for hunting Provide advice to the Minister on game management Promote or fund research and conservation projects on rural lands for the effective management of game and feral animals Represent the interests of licensed game hunters Engage in other such activities relating to the objects of this Act as prescribed by the Regulation. 7 GAME COUNCIL NSW 2009/2010 ANNUAL REPORT

8 C O N S E R V A T I O N H U N T I N G Game and feral animal control for the NSW environment, agriculture, and economy Voluntary Conservation Hunting provides a range of genuine and measurable benefits for the environment, agriculture, and the economy of NSW. Game Council-licensed hunters assist with the management of game species and feral animals in State forests, declared Crown land areas, and on agricultural land. Voluntary Conservation Hunting is a legitimate and effective tool when coupled with other management strategies for managing and reducing over-abundant introduced species. Game Council NSW utilises licensed, trained hunters as a low-cost resource to help manage game and feral animal populations on public and private land. A successful system Farm benefits Game Council-licensed hunters have removed an estimated 620,000 pest animals from hundreds of farms in the past year. Land area A total of 460 State forests with an area of more than two million hectares have been declared for Voluntary Conservation Hunting. Game and feral animals Nearly 41,000 game and feral animals removed from declared State forests in NSW since March 2006 including 20,356 rabbits, 6587 feral goats, 5660 feral pigs and 3739 foxes. Licensed hunters More than 12,500 current Game Council-licensed Voluntary Conservation Hunters in NSW and the other States. Hunting: Economic Benefits Each Game Council-licensed hunter spent an average of $5180 last financial year on hunting including accommodation, food and supplies, mostly purchased in small rural communities. This brought the total economic impact provided by hunters last financial year to $50.1 million. This contribution by hunters helps to maintain about 660 related jobs in rural NSW. 8 GAME COUNCIL NSW 2009/2010 ANNUAL REPORT

9 M A N A G E M E N T & S T R U C T U R E Staff: roles and responsibilities As at 30 June 2010, the Game Council had 21.5 fulltime equivalent staff. The majority are located at the Orange Central Office with regional staff also based at Tumut, Tamworth, Bathurst, St Marys (Sydney) and Tocumwal. Chief Executive Officer: Responsible for Ministerial, Council and Committee liaison, management of all staff, budgeting and annual planning of operational and business activities, plus the day-to-day matters of the Game Council. Executive Assistant: Responsible for providing executive management of the Chief Executive Officer and Council, in addition to various administrative duties including Ministerial correspondence. Business Manager: Responsible for implementation of administration systems, statutory reporting, coordination of the 9 GAME COUNCIL NSW 2009/2010 ANNUAL REPORT hunter education program, and supervision of the Licence Processing Unit. Communications Manager: Responsible for media management, developing promotional material and media information packages, newsletters, advertising, event co-ordination, the Annual Report, and website management.

10 Communications Officer: Assists the Communications Manager with media releases, website, correspondence, advertising and event co-ordination. Operations Manager: The Operations Manager co-ordinates the regulatory, advisory, and compliance duties of the Game Council s field staff (Game Managers). Game Managers: The Game Managers are based in five regions across NSW and are the first point of contact for local communities, the hunting fraternity, and other key stakeholders. There are seven Game Managers overall. REACH Officer: The Research Education Advisory Conservation Hunting (REACH) Officer manages research into the impacts, numbers, and trend developments for game and feral animals in NSW; and oversees the creation and delivery of Hunter Education initiatives. Project Research Officer 1: This position is responsible for implementing the Ecological Deer Management (EDM) project Maragle. Project Research Officer 2: This position is responsible for implementing the Ecological Deer Management (EDM) project Illawarra. Project Education Officer: This position involves the development and implementation of Hunter Education courses and Hunter Education products. Licensing and Booking Administrator: This position, filled in August 2008, involves coordination of the licence processing, written permission, and booking system for hunting on declared public land. Customer Service Officers: These positions help hunters to apply for and renew game hunting licences, book hunts and submit harvest data. They also support Approved Hunting Organisations, and carry out other administrative roles. Several Customer Service Officers, full-time and part-time, serve at the Orange central office and at the Sydney satellite office based at St Marys. 10 GAME COUNCIL NSW 2009/2010 ANNUAL REPORT

11 C O R P O R A T E G O V E R N A N C E Under the terms of the Game and Feral Animal Control Act 2002, the Game Council comprises 16 members who are appointed by the Minister for Primary Industries. The prime responsibility of the Council is to ensure that the policies and operations of the Game Council are performed in accordance with the Act. The Council reports directly to the Minister for Primary Industries and via the Chief Executive Officer. Councillors are appointed for a period of three years. During November 2008, Councillor nominations were reviewed and new appointments were made for a period of three years. During 2009/2010, Mr John Pond resigned and Dr Murray Williams resigned. Council Membership The members of the Council during the 2009/2010 annual reporting period were: a) Eight persons appointed on the nomination of hunting organisations prescribed by the Regulation: Mr Robert Borsak, Australian Hunters International Inc. Mr Stephen Larsson, Australian Deer Association. Mr John Pond, Sporting Shooters Association of Australia (NSW) Inc. Mr Rod Drew, Field and Game Australia Inc. Mr Doug Shupe, Federation of Hunting Clubs Inc. Mr George Kourt, Hunters and Fisherman s Association of NSW Inc. (Artemis) Mr John Mumford, GameCon NSW. Mr Daryl Venables, Australian Bowhunters Association. b) A person appointed on the nomination of the Livestock Health and Pest Authorities : Mr John Willey. c) A person appointed on the nomination of the Australian Veterinary Association: Dr AW (Tony) English (AM RFD). d) Two persons who are wildlife management scientists: Associate Professor Rob Mulley. Dr Murray Williams. e) A person appointed on the nomination of the NSW Aboriginal Lands Council: Mr William Murray. 11 GAME COUNCIL NSW 2009/2010 ANNUAL REPORT

12 C o r p o r a t e G o v e r n a n c e ( c o n t i n u e d ) f) A person appointed on the nomination of the Minister administering the Forestry Act 1916: Mr Nick Roberts, Chief Executive Officer, Forests NSW. g) A person appointed on the nomination of the Minister administering the Crown Lands Act 1989: Mr Adrian Harte, Director of Land Management, Land & Property Management Authority. h) A person appointed on the nomination of the Minister: Mr Eric Davis, Science and Policy Branch, NSW Food Authority. Changes to Chairmanship There were no changes to the Chairmanship within the annual reporting period. Council Meetings The Full Council met twice throughout the 2009/2010 annual reporting period. Committees Game Council comprises four committees: Committee of Management Scientific and Research Committee Ethics, Education and Training Committee Audit and Risk Committee. Game Council Committee of Management The Game Council Committee of Management, which met three times in 2009/2010, consists of six members, including: Game Council NSW Chairman Two other members of the Game Council representing hunting organisations, (GameCon Councillor and Field and Game Australia Councillor) The Livestock Health and Pest Authorities representative The Australian Veterinary Association Council representative Game Council NSW Chief Executive Officer The Committee of Management may exercise functions of the Game Council that are authorised by the Full Council. In 2009/10, the Committee dealt with 58 out of sessions business items. 12 GAME COUNCIL NSW 2009/2010 ANNUAL REPORT

13 M I L E S T O N E S & A C H I E V E M E N T S : F i r s t V o l u n t a r y G a m e R a n g e r s a p p o i n t e d Hunters become Rangers During the reporting period, Game Council commenced the Voluntary Game Ranger (VGR) program. Ten Voluntary Game Rangers were selected from a large body of interested applicants of varying hunting, outdoor and club backgrounds. The initial Voluntary Game Rangers included members of major Approved Hunting Organisations (AHOs), such as Sporting Shooters Association of Australia, Field and Game Australia, and Australian Deer Association, and also persons from smaller hunting clubs. Voluntary Game Rangers have a variety of backgrounds in addition to hunting. Many include State forest pursuits such as mountain biking and off-road driving, while other Voluntary Game Rangers have skills in training junior hunters or assisting landholders. All of the appointed Voluntary Game Rangers have strong hunting skills and all hold a Game Council game hunting licence. In the reporting period, Voluntary Game Rangers began assisting Game Council by manning stands at major firearms/outdoor shows at Homebush, Penrith and Orange. Country-based Voluntary Game Rangers were also active in helping landholders identify feral animal problems, and co-ordinate property access for Game Council licensed hunters to address these problems. Initial landholder regions helped were Central West NSW and Far West NSW. In the future, Game Council plans to introduce a second phase of volunteer recruitment, with a long-term target level of at least 25 Voluntary Game Rangers to be maintained. 13 GAME COUNCIL NSW 2009/2010 ANNUAL REPORT

14 M I L E S T O N E S & A C H I E V E M E N T S : N e w i n f o r m a t i o n a n d p r o m o t i o n a l m a t e r i a l s New property signage New information and promotional materials The growth of bow hunting was recognised by Game Council NSW in the reporting period, with the creation of the first NSW Bow Hunting Guide. The guide outlines the hunting opportunities available in New South Wales to bow users, and also explains the laws and licensing requirements involved. The guide was provided to all game hunting licence holders as a free insert in the Hunt NSW newsletter, and was well received. During the reporting period, it was reprinted as a standalone document for distribution to archery shops and bow hunting clubs. A new car sticker was also introduced by Game Council in the reporting period. It was the first fresh decal product for Game Council since 2006 and incorporated the message Hunters First in Conservation along with a blaze orange trim as a safety reminder. During the reporting period, Game Council also released a fridge magnet product. Entitled Camo Conservationist, the magnet encompasses the role hunters play in improving the environment. It is a lighthearted marketing tool aimed primarily at hunters and Approved Hunting Organisations. New property signage The successful Statewide launch (in June 2009) of the Bush Alert rural crime reporting initiative into Jenolan, Mullions Range, Canobolas, Pennsylvania, Glenbog and Maragle State forests created significant media coverage of the Game Council s efforts to crack down on illegal hunting and other rural crime. Media attention resulted in substantial interest in the Bush Alert program during the reporting period from landholders also affected by illegal hunting. Whilst these landholders were able to use the existing Bush Alert signage, there was a clear need for a private property access message. As a result, Game Council NSW created and released to the rural sector a new A4-size private property warning sign that is designed to be installed on farm gates and fence-lines. The no permission= no hunting sign, which incorporates contact details for police assistance, makes it clear that a property cannot be accessed for hunting without express permission from the owner/manager. The sign is available to the public through the Game Council merchandise ordering system. 14 GAME COUNCIL NSW 2009/2010 ANNUAL REPORT

15 M I L E S T O N E S & A C H I E V E M E N T S : Ecological Deer Management Ecological Deer Management Ecological Deer Management (EDM) is a new management system for wild deer species in New South Wales. It allows landholders and managers to set deer harvest levels according to both population numbers and impacts on environmental, agricultural and community values. This allows a sustained high level of control to be applied to local deer populations while simultaneously maximising the value of this hunting resource for hunters and the community. The primary tool for effecting deer population management is the use of trained and accredited Volunteer Conservation Hunters, who will work in an integrated approach with land managers. During the reporting period, Game Council NSW commenced EDM projects at two locations: southern NSW forests based around, and including, Maragle State forest, and in the Illawarra region. Each project had a dedicated Project Research Officer employed by Game Council. The Maragle project involved a strategy being in place at Maragle South State forest, Maragle North State forest, and Mannus State forest for the 2010 fallow deer hunting season, with the aim of better managing the fallow deer population in particular whilst also providing more equitable deer hunting access for all licensed hunters. Hunters under this program are encouraged to focus their harvests on female deer. They harvest one fallow deer buck in each of the three EDM forests during the season along with as many additional female fallow deer as they wish. Participating hunters were also asked to record digital images of their harvested deer, supply jaws from their harvested deer to the Game Council for research purposes, and additional field data. The project is ongoing with preliminary research outcomes expected in the coming financial year. In the Illawarra region, the Game Council EDM project there is intended to help alleviate a long-term challenge with wild deer affecting Illawarra ratepayers and landholders. Wild deer emerge from escarpment areas and encroach on farmland and urban areas of Wollongong, causing motor vehicle accidents and a range of other physical damage. The Illawarra EDM project will seek to establish EDM co-operatives along the Illawarra escarpment. Impacts such as property fence damage will be measured through landholder interviews and surveys. Other impacts, including deer browsing on threatened plant species, will be assessed through scientific monitoring. The Illawarra project will develop EDM plans for individual properties, and a deer harvest plan based on deer numbers. 15 GAME COUNCIL NSW 2009/2010 ANNUAL REPORT

16 M I L E S T O N E S & A C H I E V E M E N T S : Game and feral species harvest counts Game and feral species harvest counts As the Game Council hunter licensing system matures and grows, there has been a substantial increase in the number of game and feral animals removed from declared State forests during the 2009/2010 financial year. A total of 15,232 game and feral animals were removed during this period, in comparison to 11,197 animals taken in 2008/2009. This represents a harvest increase during the reporting period of 34 per cent. The overall number of game and feral animals removed from declared State forests since March 2006 reached 40,976 at the end of the reporting period. 16 GAME COUNCIL NSW 2009/2010 ANNUAL REPORT

17 M I L E S T O N E S & A C H I E V E M E N T S : Written Permission System Trade events attended Participation on committees Written permission system Game Council s online computer booking system for hunting on declared public land (the written permission system) continued to operate well during the reporting period. In 2009/10, a total of 20,761 written permissions were issued for hunting in declared State forests in New South Wales. To hunt in declared State forests, licensed and accredited hunters must first obtain written permission through the booking system, which controls hunter numbers per defined land area. For safety, the computer system limits the number of licensed hunters hunting in any declared forest, on any day, to a ratio of one hunter per 400 hectares. Attendance at major trade events During 2009/2010, Game Council NSW presented at the following major trade events: SHOT Expo, Homebush, Sydney Safari Club International Convention, Brisbane Penrith Gun Show, Penrith Central West Arms and Militaria Show, Orange Archery Expo, Sydney Maitland Hunting Show, Maitland Wild Deer Expo, Rutherglen, Victoria Participation on committees In 2009/20010, Game Council NSW was represented on the following committees: Pastoral and Agricultural Crime Working Party NSW Pest Animal Advisory Committee Mid-North Coast Deer Working Group Illawarra Pest Animal Advisory Group North East and North West Pest Animal Advisory Committees Shotgun Education Committee (Victoria) North Coast Vertebrate Pest Working Group 17 GAME COUNCIL NSW 2009/2010 ANNUAL REPORT

18 M I L E S T O N E S & A C H I E V E M E N T S : Green Bullet Award Inaugural Pig Dog Hunting Workshop Green Bullet Award The second Green Bullet Award for Outstanding Contribution to Conservation Hunting was given during the reporting period. It was awarded to Nepean Hunters Club of Penrith, Western Sydney, for starting and continuing a major program to rid a Southern Highlands olive tree plantation of feral goats. Nepean Hunters Club established a long-term roster of licensed hunters to ensure constant pressure on the local feral goat population in the region. As part of the program, hides and game meat were utilised to ensure there was no unnecessary waste of the harvested animals. A total of 85 feral goats were taken during the program. The award also acknowledged the club s effort to use the feral goat control program as a path for junior and beginning hunters to access hunting in a safe manner. Nepean Hunters Club officials were presented with the award by Councillor John Mumford at a ceremony in Orange in December. Inaugural Pig Dog Hunting Workshop Game Council successfully conducted its first Pig Dog Hunting Workshop during the reporting period. Held at Orange in May, the workshop introduced hunting skills, dog care and humane animal treatment principles to a class of 40 licensed pig dog hunters (including several junior hunters). The workshop also included a field trip to train students in knowing the signs of feral pig presence, and how to safely transport hunting dogs. 18 GAME COUNCIL NSW 2009/2010 ANNUAL REPORT

19 M I L E S T O N E S & A C H I E V E M E N T S : F i r s t O c c a s i o n a l L e c t u r e h e l d B o w H u n t i n g W o r k s h o p s u c c e s s f u l First Occasional Lecture held As the lead agency in New South Wales for hunter education, Game Council is committed to creating opportunities for licensed hunters, and Approved Hunting Organisations, to lift knowledge and skill standards. An important event held in the reporting year was the conducting of the first Game Council Occasional Lecture, which brought to prominence a key speaker at the cutting edge of modern game management. The first lecture was delivered by Brian Murphy, Chief Executive Officer of the Quality Deer Management Association. Based in the United States, and with a membership base of 40,000, the QDMA is the world s largest organisation involved in the management of wild deer. Mr Murphy was also chosen as the inaugural speaker as he had past professional involvement in deer management in several Australian States. His lecture, on the future of game management in Australia, was held at the University of Western Sydney (Hawkesbury) in December. Australian game management experts Dr Tony English OAM and Dr Graham Hall also provided supporting talks at the event. Bow Hunting Workshop successful The Inaugural Bow Hunting Workshop was successfully held in July at Orange. A total of 61 students attended from New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and the ACT. The first of its kind to be run by any Government agency in Australia, the bow hunting workshop focused on practical skills and responsible bow hunting. The three-day event included instruction on archery, bow tuning, shot placement, camouflage selection, caping and field butchery. Students were also able to sit for R-Licence assessing to enable them to take up a game hunting licence after the event. Based on the success of the inaugural event, a bow hunting workshop is expected to become an annual Hunter Education offering from Game Council. 19 GAME COUNCIL NSW 2009/2010 ANNUAL REPORT

20 A D M I N I S T R A T I O N Organisational Development Industrial Relations: There were no work-related injuries or illnesses during the reporting period. Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S): There were no adverse occupational health and safety events during the reporting period. Game Council NSW continues to review its OH&S Policy and acts promptly to address any emerging issues. Game Council also established an internal OH & S Committee during the reporting period. The committee provides analysis and oversight of workplace practices at the central and regional office locations of Game Council, and also looks at aspects of field operations involving Game Council staff. Access Game Council s central office address and contact details are widely promoted on its website, in public relations material and in advertisements. Wheelchair access is via the front door of the organisation s Orange office. Contact details are: Game Council NSW 52 Hill Street (PO Box 2506) Orange NSW 2800 Phone: (02) Fax: (02) Licence Processing Unit: (02) info@gamecouncil.nsw.gov.au Website: Legal changes There were no legal changes affecting Game Council NSW in 2009/2010. Accounts payable The Game Council verified and arranged payment of accounts via the Department of Industry & Investment in the reporting period. There were no significant events that affected payment performance during the reporting period, nor were there any instances where penalty interest was paid in accordance with Section 18 of the Public Finance and Audit (General) Regulation GAME COUNCIL NSW 2009/2010 ANNUAL REPORT

21 A D M I N I S T R A T I O N Executive Positions There is one executive position in the Game Council the Chief Executive Officer. The CEO s grade does not require reporting on the salary. There are no executive officer positions held by females in the Game Council. This figure is consistent with previous reporting years and represents no change. Consultants Game Council s policy is to only use consultants for services that cannot be reasonably carried out inhouse. The two main areas of consultancy utilised by the Game Council include computer and internet support, and legal services for prosecutions and legal advice. Also, the AEC Group assisted in the preparation of the Game Council Public Benefit Assessment and related assessments. The cost of these services for the reporting period is included in the financial sections of the Annual Report. Grants The Game Council has provided no grants to non-government organisations during the reporting period. Freedom of Information The Game Council seeks to fully comply with the spirit and intention of the requirements on Government agencies of the Freedom of Information Act. The objects of this Act are to extend, as far as possible, the rights of the public: (a) to obtain access to information held by the Government, and (b) to ensure that records held by the Government concerning the personal affairs of members of the public are not incomplete, incorrect, out of date or misleading. For the reporting period, the Game Council received two applications under Freedom of Information legislation. All applications are complied with under the requirements of the Act. 21 GAME COUNCIL NSW 2009/2010 ANNUAL REPORT

22 A D M I N I S T R A T I O N Privacy Obligations The Game Council seeks to fulfil its privacy obligations under the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act The Act includes 12 information protection principles (IPPs), establishes methods for enforcement of privacy, establishes a mechanism for complaints, and sets out the role of the NSW Privacy Commissioner. The 12 information protection principles can be grouped under five main headings collection, storage, access and accuracy, use, and disclosure. The Game Council fully complies with the spirit and the intention of the Act in regards to its licensing database, collection of information, penalty infringement notices, and sharing information with other agencies. The Game Council has received no formal complaints regarding breaching its Privacy Obligations during the reporting period. Key Multicultural Strategies (Multicultural Policies and Services Program) The Game Council is committed to providing opportunities for all groups to participate in licensed hunting, and to be recognised as much as possible for this participation. In terms of marketing to multicultural communities, Game Council has begun to promote its game hunting licences to different ethnic groups. In 2008/09, an Italian language advertisement was placed in La Fiamma newspaper to inform the Italian-Australian community. In the reporting period, a Vietnamese language advertisement was placed in Vietnamese News to inform the Vietnamese-Australian community. In the coming year, it is proposed to conduct a Greek language advertisement. Multicultural communities chosen by Game Council for such advertisements are done so on the basis of perceived high representation of those ethnic groups in the licence holder database maintained by Game Council. Game Council seeks to acknowledge hunting participation by multicultural communities by encouraging hunters from all ethnic groups to submit photographic images of successful hunts. These images are then able to be published in Hunt NSW, the major publication of Game Council. In the reporting year, an on-line hunting image gallery was created on the Game Council website, including images submitted by hunters of ethnic group origin. All ethnic groups are treated equally by Game Council in regard to selection and display of hunting images, whether on-line or in print. Game Council has also sought to encourage ethnic diversity in the background of applicants for the Volunteer Game Ranger (VGR) program. In the first intake of 10 VGRs, carried out during the reporting period, two of the successful applicants were prominently representing ethnic groups (Australian-Dutch community and Australian-Croatian community). 22 GAME COUNCIL NSW 2009/2010 ANNUAL REPORT

23 A D M I N I S T R A T I O N Complaints Handling Game Council NSW has a policy of responding to complaints within 21 working days. During the reporting period, a number of complaints were received on a variety of matters, including illegal hunting in forests and opposition to the practice of pig dog hunting. Game Council also received a complaint from Dr Carol Booth of the Invasive Species Council in regard to perceived criticism of the Invasive Species Council by Game Council. The vast majority of complaints received in the reporting period were answered within the response period. Equal Opportunity Obligations Game Council NSW is committed to providing Equal Employment Opportunity. Equal Employment Opportunity is a fundamental right of our society and Game Council commits itself both within its policies and within its own structures to reflect the principles of equal opportunity for all staff. Game Council received no complaints under Equal Employment Opportunity in the reporting period. 23 GAME COUNCIL NSW 2009/2010 ANNUAL REPORT

24 P A R T B : / F I N A N C I A L R E P O R T Game Council NSW: financial statements The Game Council of NSW Financial Statements for the 2009/2010 reporting period are included in Part B of this report. The financial statements for 2009/2010 comprise both the Game Council of New South Wales and the Game Council Division. 24 GAME COUNCIL NSW 2009/2010 ANNUAL REPORT