A NORTHERN Territory Government minister has been labelled “evil” following the announcement of magpie geese bag limits for the upcoming NT waterfowl hunting season.

New Minister for the Environment and Natural Resources Eva Lawler has been dubbed “Evil” Lawler by hunting groups after she released condition details for the 2018 hunting season, which included a bag limit of just five magpie geese.

Following the annual magpie geese survey, an increase in bird numbers of about 27 per cent on 2017 was recorded by Department of Environment and Natural Resources staff.

Rural Weekly understands the department then sent three recommendations to former minister Lauren Moss.

Those recommendations included the preferred option that was announced, a bag limit of five and a three-month- long season that will run from October 1 to January 2, 2019.

Because of the increase in surveyed numbers, another option presented to then-minister Moss’ office included a higher bag limit.

NT Field and Game initially proposed a four-month-long season with bag limits increased to seven from last year’s three geese.

Following several meetings with departmental staff NT Field and Game proposed a compromise on bag limits to six geese.

NT Field and Game spokesman Bart Irwin said the consultation process was a “waste of time”.

“Five meetings with DENR scientist Dr Tim Clancy to come up with a season length and bag limit that would be sustainable to the goose population and acceptable to hunters,” Mr Irwin said.

“We asked for seven birds and four months. These weren’t random numbers picked out.

“This was the standard season that had endured for most years from 1983 to 2010 and were in line with the most recent Magpie Goose Management Program.

“This program contains all the science gathered by the DENR since research has been undertaken.

“(Dr Clancy) countered with five geese and three months. We went back and called for a compromise of six birds and three months. This too was rejected.

“We then went to the minister’s adviser and Minister Moss. Later that day she dumped the environment portfolio, so we contacted the Minister “Evil” Lawler.

“She too rejected our call for six birds. It has been a long, drawn-out process of Clayton’s consultation.”

In her press release announcing the season, Ms Lawler had a different opinion of how the consultation process had worked.

“We have been in consultation with recreational hunters to make sure we are working closely together to ensure the ongoing sustainability of the Territory’s waterfowl population,” she said.

“I would like to thank them for engaging so constructively in this process. We have agreed to continue the consultative process and, after this season, the priority will be updating the Magpie Goose Management Plan, which is long overdue.”

However Mr Irwin said the consultation process was “simply a public relations exercise for the minister”.

“The minister and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has used groups like NT Field and Game as window dressing in what they wrongly term a consultative process,” Mr Irwin said.

“None of NT Field and Game’s recommendations have been implemented. It has been a five-month lesson in dictation from a former school principal,” he said in reference to Ms Lawler’s former occupation before entering politics in 2016.

“The single extra goose sought by hunters would have only added another 2500 geese to the hunter harvest.”

Meanwhile, the government is reminding hunters of several conditions relating to waterfowl hunting in the NT, especially that the use of lead shot is prohibited on all Northern Territory land including parks, wildlife and heritage hunting reserves.

All waterfowl hunters are required to have a waterfowl hunting permit prior to hunting on reserves.

Daily start and finish times are yet to be determined and details will be available at www.nt.gov.au/waterfowl in due course.

Go to denr.nt.gov.au/ land-resource-management/ magpie-goose-management for more information about this year’s aerial survey.