Calls Grow for Urgent Action on Feral Pig Crisis

The feral pig population has exploded across the Northern Tablelands due tot he run of good seasons

03rd Jun 2025

The escalating crisis of feral pig populations across regional New South Wales has sparked renewed calls for urgent and coordinated government action, with Member for Northern Tablelands Brendan Moylan and NSW Farmers both pressing for increased funding and targeted control measures.
Speaking in Parliament last week, Mr Moylan delivered a Private Members’ Statement highlighting the growing threat feral pigs pose to farmers, livestock, crops, and infrastructure throughout his electorate.
“Current estimates indicate there could be 100 million feral pigs in Australia,” Mr Moylan said. “In my electorate, the population has exploded following a run of good seasons.”
Describing the situation as “absolute carnage,” Mr Moylan detailed the extensive damage caused by feral pigs, including attacks on lambs and calves, destruction of crops, and the wrecking of rural roads. He warned that current control measures are falling short, and stressed that up to 80 per cent of the population must be culled annually to contain the crisis.
He called for a shift away from blanket policies and urged the NSW Government to support more localised, targeted pest control campaigns.
“There is no point in NSW looking at a total approach across the board,” he said. “We need targeted local campaigns… The pig populations breed back up faster than any of us can handle.”
NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin echoed these concerns, welcoming recent comments from NSW Premier Chris Minns, who signalled openness to new measures, including bounties, to control feral animals.
“Feral pigs cause millions in damage each year. They attack people and animals, tear up paddocks, and destroy fences,” Mr Martin said. “We welcome a shared responsibility, including additional funding, to control these nasty pests.”
Martin emphasized that the problem extends beyond pigs, citing wild dogs, cats, and increasingly feral deer as persistent threats. He warned that damage from animal pests in NSW could exceed $489 million annually by 2026 and advocated for a full suite of control strategies including aerial culling, trapping, baiting, and bounties.
“NSW has the highest number of feral mammal species in the nation,” Martin said. “We need long-term, cross-tenure pest control programs and strong coordination between government and communities.”

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Calls Grow for Urgent Action on Feral Pig Crisis

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