Removal of bats from Charters Towers

Eligibility - Electors of the Division of Charters Towers
Principal Petitioner:
R A Hamilton
Cnr Cambridge & Mary Streets
CHARTERS TOWERS QLD 4820
Total Signatures - 3327
Sponsoring Member: Shane Knuth MP
Posting Date: 25/10/2005
Tabled Date: 25/10/2005
Responded By: Desley Boyle on 5/12/2005
TO: The Honourable the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland

The petition of electors of the Division of Charters Towers draws to the
attention of the House: That the City of Charters Towers is not a
roosting site for Flying Foxes. For 5 years nursing mums, children, the
sick, the frail, the elderly and other residents of Charters Towers have
suffered with the stench, noise, disturbance of peace, loss to
businesses, property values, and the destruction of pristine trees.
Residents are unable to hang out their clothes, turn on their air
conditioners and are forced to stay in doors because of bat excreta.
These bats also carry bacteria, parasites and other a lethal viruses.

Your petitioners therefore request the House to:

• Put people's health and quality of life before Flying Foxes.
• Recognise the permits issued by the State Government to remove these
pests are useless and ineffective.
• Introduce minimum culling to encourage the bats not to roost amongst
residents and/or
• Employ two (2) Parks and Wildlife Officers to be solely responsible to
harass the bats all day, every day until the Flying Foxes are completely
and permanently driven away from the vicinity of residential areas.

Please note: Charters Towers and District has one of the biggest river
system in North Queensland with plenty of Roosting Sites away from the
residential areas.