Two NT candidates back dingoes, despite losing dogs to outback poison

Two Territorians putting up their hands for this year’s federal election have backed more dingo protections, despite losing their own dogs to a notorious outback poison.

The candidates, Chris Petyarre Tomlins for the lower house seat of Lingiari and Senate candidate Que Kenny, both lost their own dogs to the outback poison 1080 – a substance that has been used for years to control wild dog numbers.

But Letters for the Environment Central Australia’s Adrian Tomlinson told 8CCC’s The Big Brekky this morning that the three-year-old green lobby group had endorsed both candidates as their preference in the election.

Mr Tomlinson said LECA had approached all NT candidates in both houses ahead of Saturday’s poll on their positions on both dingo protection and the invasive species buffel grass, but the LECA only endorsed Mr Tomlins, Kenny and Greens candidate Blair McFarland on their positions on the critical environmental issues.

While he said opinions about the use of 1080 – a poison long criticised for its effects on native species more widely than just wild dogs – had changed over time, only two candidates came out on top in the lower house: Mr Tomlins of the Indigenous-Aboriginal Party of Australia and Mr McFarland.

In the Upper House, LECA endorsed Kenny, who is standing as an independent, and again The Greens’ candidates Aia Newport and Hugh Wells.

Mr Tomlinson said if voters were heading to the polls this Saturday and were passionate about these two environmental concerns, they would be the candidates to vote for, according to a range of indicators including banning the use of 1080 and strychnine.

However, while he said LECA did not endorse sitting Member for Lingiari Marion Scrymgour’s party’s position Labor had promised there would be future funding announcements in both areas, though it remains unclear what may be delivered should the government hold office.

Voters go to the polls for the final time this Saturday, after a record more than 40,000 Territorians voted ahead of the official polling day, with many NT residents seemingly already having decided their position.