Richard Dawkins of Federated Farmers says ACT’s policy to hand game animal management to hunters would create a conflict of interest.

“The game animal council, meaning hunters, will set the targets rather than just being consulted,” he says.

“That’s where we’re really concerned as sheep and beef farmers.”

He says feral deer are a growing pest problem, and the Government’s job is not to protect them for hunters.

“Tahr numbers are very much out of control, and moving lower onto farmland.”

He says the sector needs a coordinated national approach.

“What we’ve really been proposing for some time now is a national strategy on deer.”

CountryWide CONNECT with Andy Thompson & Sarah Perriam-Lampp is our daily rural show livestreamed from 11am-1pm. Visit country-wide.co.nz on how to watch/listen or download the CountryWide CONNECT mobile app, available on Apple iOS and Android.