Drought-stricken landholders in Queensland where kangaroos are in plague proportions have had a request for increased damage mitigation permits granted.

Landholder groups such as AgForce and regional councils have called on the state government to increase the numbers of kangaroos graziers can legally cull, because permits to date have now allowed them to effectively reduce numbers.

“We’re looking for an amnesty because the kangaroos they’re allowed to shoot under a license, it is just not enough, they can shoot them in a day and then they have to reapply for another license,” Maranoa Council mayor Rob Loughnan told Beef Central earlier this month.

Queensland’s environment minister Andrew Powell has responded by approving an increase in Damage Mitigation Permits for Macropods to 1000 per permit.

If landholders use up the 1000, they can apply for another 1000.

One percent of the three commercial species are allowed to be culled under damage mitigation permits.

For this calendar year, that equates to 109,425 eastern grey kangaroos, 33,980 common wallaroos and 51,460 red kangaroos.

A spokesperson for Mr Powell said the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection currently restricts the number of animals able to be taken under each DMP to 1000 in order to ensure equitable landholders access to these quotas throughout the year.

Regulatory amendments were made on September 27 to allow lethal DMPs to be issued for up to 12 months (previously restricted to 6 months).