Write to Minister Collins

Suggested Letter:
Dear Minister Collins,

I am writing to urge you to ban second-generation rat poisons for domestic use.

The Australian bush may become silent at night. Australian owls and other native carnivores are being killed by a new class of rat poisons being sold throughout Australia.

These so called ‘second generation’ rat poisons pass on up the food chain, killing and injuring owls and other native animals that eat poisoned rats.

This class of poisons has been banned in other countries. Despite this, the federal bureaucracy that regulates the use of pesticides and other poisons in Australia, the Australian Pesticide and Veterinary Management Authority, has permitted these poisons to be sold in retail outlets.

This Authority has said it plans to conduct a review of the poisons.  However, the review was started in 2021, has been continually been delayed for no apparent reason, and there is no current deadline for it to be delivered.  The Authority also has said recently in media that “No data we have reviewed indicates the risk of imminent harm.”

Given the years long delay, and current commentary of the Authority, we are assuming that they will not fully consider the environmental impacts of the new rat poisons, and want to continue to approve them for sale across all outlets.  Despite the research now showing that they are poisoning Australian owls and other native predators.

I urge you to intervene, use your powers to bring a swift end to this significant ecological issue.

Image: “Lesser Sooty Owl”: By Angus Emmott