Currently it is the duty of local councils to respond to flying fox issues in their jurisdiction. But a motion was passed 98 votes to 85 at the LGAQ annual conference to lobby the higher tiers of government to inherit management and financial responsibility for the removal of bats from urban, residential and equine precincts.

Mount Isa City Council Mayor Tony McGrady supports the move and has been outspoken in the past about flying foxes, which he believes are a major problem in the district.

Councillor McGrady wants the animals culled and believes the state and federal governments must adopt the same hard-line stance if they ever took over management of the issue.

“It could work as long as the state and federal governments understand the problem and then go out of their way to try to resolve it, and that would mean the culling of those bats,” Cr McGrady said. “I’m the first to admit that there will be some opposition to that.

“But there are places like Charters Towers, to a lesser extent Mount Isa and a lot of other places around the state who are simply dreading when the season comes and the bats arrive and start roosting in the trees.”

Cr McGrady said having large human and flying fox populations in close proximity created serious health concerns.

“What people have got to understand is that this is not just about me being petty, but it’s that bats adversely affect your way of life,” Cr McGrady said.

“Families can’t leave their clothes on the clothesline overnight because the next morning they’re full of dirt and have been fouled.

“They (bats) fight and are dangerous. They make like very uncomfortable.”