Shadow Primary Industries Minister, Mike Horan told the Estimates Committee hearing this morning that the Minister, Tim Mulherin and his Department are "out of touch" with community concerns over the potential spread of the deadly Hendra virus from fruit bats.

"The Minister and his Department have effectively decided bats can't be shot and his advice to the Minister for Sustainability has meant that the Environmental Protection Agency has had no option but to rule out bat mitigation permits," Mr Horan said.

"Quite apart from the serious economic damage that bats cause to fruit crops, we now have the very real threat of Hendra virus, which is lethal, and caused by bat excretion.

"In putting bats before people, the Minister has forgotten that he has a serious responsibility to ensure that practicality exists for horse owners and horticulturalists who need to undertake the deterrence to flying foxes.

"We're not talking about the wholesale shooting of bat colonies, but the selective deterrence of lead scout bats that will deter bat colonies from coming into an area."

Mr Horan called on the Minister to review the decision he has made that effectively means that the Minister for Sustainability has no option but to ban mitigation permits.

"We're talking about the practical deterrence of animals that cause lethal damage to horses ...humans can contract Hendra virus by mechanical means from horses ...and fruit growers are facing massive losses from bats that can put them out of business."