A multi-party report backing the counting and shooting of feral horses in national parks should put to bed "ridiculous anti-science questioning" from critics, environmental advocates say.
The NSW parliamentary inquiry report on Wednesday found the state was using global best-practice methods to count brumbies and there was no clear evidence of any animal-welfare breaches under current culling methods.
At least 5800 - or an estimated one in three - brumbies have been killed in NSW since aerial shooting resumed in November 2023.
Ecologists estimate about that number will need to be culled annually to reach a 3000-horse cap by 2027 due to high birth rates.
The inquiry broadly dismissed concerns about distance sampling being used to measure the population annually, although it welcomed the trial of new methods in the most recent count.
Invasive Species Council advocacy director Jack Gough said strong cross-party support from Liberals to the Greens and independents for effective brumby control reflected public backing for native wildlife to be protected from feral horses.
"This report should once and for all end the ridiculous anti-science questioning of the feral horse count figures by a small minority that do not want to see a single feral horse removed from the national park," he said.
Several groups questioned the validity of a 2022 population count that estimated there were between 14,500 and 23,500 horses in Kosciuszko National Park.
Committee chair Emma Hurst hit out at the Labor, Liberal and Shooters-backed report, saying the findings and recommendations did not reflect her views.
The Animal Justice MP and Nationals colleague Wes Fang backed a finding that aerial shooting of brumbies could not be ethically justified.
"It has been disappointing that attempts to find common ground were not made," she said.
"(But) the inquiry shone a light on this program and its flaws, and gave the community a chance to put forward their position directly to government."
Brumbies' presence in the Australian Alps has long been controversial.
A 2018 law passed under the then-coalition government sought to protect the "heritage value" of the horses and led to passive trapping and rehoming being prioritised over culling.
The committee highlighted "clear gaps" in the rehoming program after allegations up to 500 horses were killed in an illegal knackery near Wagga Wagga.
A man accused of operating the knackery had acquired more than 300 brumbies despite discrepancies in his applications and consistent failures to submit documentation about the horses' fates.
The National Parks and Wildlife Service said its responsibility ended once a horse was handed to a rehomer, while RSPCA NSW said it didn't have the resources to proactively monitor the wellbeing of rehomed brumbies.
The committee urged the gaps be closed and the rehoming program restart as soon as possible.
About 1000 horses were rehomed between November 2021 and July 2024.
