Q. The 2021 season is fast approaching, what's the TDAC's number one goal this season.
A. The number one goal this year is to see a successful season for all hunters we had a broken up season last year with some properties closing down due to COVID-19. It would be nice to see a season which provides some good bucks and meat.
Q. Do you think 2021 will see some good deers?
A. I would hope that a lot of the deer that probably would have got harvested in that last week of the deer season last year, hopefully, they have made it all the way through, and they are going to be a year or so older, plus we have had so much summer rain. So add all that together and we should see some good looking deer.
Q. What's the biggest challenge the TDAC is working towards changing
A. For the TDAC we would like to see the government's plan for wild fallow deer in Tasmania be successful. By that, I mean having some real achievable goals that involve the hunter and the farmers and other interested parties. We have got to set a plan and have a plan that's workable, not some pie in the sky plan. The first draft of the plan is never going to change 200 years of history.
Q. What are the TDAC's strengths and weakness?
A. Our biggest strength is our ability to negotiate, and I see that over the last few years, we have formed good relationships, by forming fair negotiations. I think we always tell the truth, always be honest about our views, not exaggerate what those views are and we know that we can't always win. We have not won every discussion, but it doesn't deter us from trying, and it doesn't injure the relationship with who we are talking with.
Q. Come on Andrew, there has to be a weakness in there?
A. I hate to admit to weaknesses, but I think some of our weaknesses are probably around membership, I think that we could use a stronger, more diverse range of members on the TDAC. I think our constitution should be looked at over the next year or so. So we are more inclusive. We need to bring forestry, we need to bring indigenous people, we need to bring environmental people into the party.
Well done on getting the website up and running, this creates a wider and more inclusive forum for communication. In regard to your previous reference to a more inclusive membership including Forestry. Forestry Tas were a member, specifically invited to be involved when the TDAC was constituted and leading into the Fallow Deer Project commencement in 1993. What has happened?
Is the TDAC still an incorporated body? If so perhaps the website front page should include Inc.