Tribunal puts ACT kangaroo cull on hold

Territories Minister Shane Rattenbury earlier this week unveiled plans to cull 1606 eastern grey kangaroos across eight Canberra reserves.

Shooting was to be permitted from Wednesday night to the end of July.

But a Canberra animal rights group is challenging the cull in the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

Tribunal president Bill Stefaniak ordered a halt to the cull until the tribunal could hear a stay application on Tuesday.

During a preliminary hearing on Wednesday, Mr Stefaniak heard Animal Liberation ACT intended to challenge the validity of a licence issued by the conservator of flora and fauna to conduct the cull.

The group will seek to have the cull delayed until the challenge can be heard, which is likely to be in late May. ACT government solicitors said the application for a postponement would be opposed.

Animal Liberation ACT indicated it would challenge the licence on a number of grounds, including that it contravened the ACT Nature Conservation Act and ACT kangaroo management plan.

But the group could not make its case until the government had published its reasons for the killing.

Mr Stefaniak ordered the government to provide a copy of the reasons to the tribunal and animal rights group by close of business on Friday.

Animal Liberation ACT was told to make the stay application, with documents supporting the bid, by Monday afternoon.

The tribunal president scheduled a hearing for Tuesday afternoon.

The substantive challenge must be heard before a full ACAT panel, which comprises of three members.

Mr Stefaniak said the earliest date available to hear the challenge would be May 29.

The eight grassland and woodland sites previously closed for the program would reopen and remain open until further notice, the government said.

It is the second year running the organisation has managed to delay the cull, after a fight in the ACAT in 2013.

The tribunal eventually allowed the cull to go ahead, but with its numbers reduced.