2018-03-02
The Victorian Greens are calling for the Game Management Authority to be shut down and the 2018 duck shooting season to be cancelled following damning findings contained in a review leaked to the ABC.
Victorian Greens spokesperson for Animal Welfare, Sue Pennicuik, called for the findings of the independent review into the GMA to be made public earlier this year when the Andrews Government announced another full duck shooting season.
“This report confirms what the Greens and others have been saying for years, that the major flaw in duck shooting regulations is their complete lack of enforcement,” Ms Pennicuik said.
“The review found the GMA has been completely ineffective at enforcing duck shooting rules, and is fixated on prosecuting duck rescuers rather than rule-breaking shooters.
“For the Labor Government to let the 2018 season go ahead now is to guarantee the inhumane slaughter of thousands of our native ducks and other birds, as happens every year.
“The review makes recommendations that are premised on duck shooting continuing, but given its findings, they will not fix the problems.”
“The only solution to end the terrible massacre of our native ducks and thousands of other birds is to ban duck shooting altogether and close down the ineffective and conflicted Game Management Authority.”
Ms Pennicuik attends the opening of Victoria’s duck season every year and is available for further comment.