Victorian Greens fail in bid to ban duck hunting
Donna Petrovich MP
State Member of Parliament for Northern Victoria Region
Tuesday, 28 June 2011
The defeat of a motion from the Victorian Greens to ban duck hunting in Victoria is another example of the Greens overly emotional and out of touch policies, says Donna Petrovich, State Member of Parliament for Northern Victoria and Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Environment.
All Coalition and Labor MPs in the Victorian Parliament’s Legislative Council chose to vote against the motion and it was defeated 35 votes to 3.
Speaking in Parliament, Mrs Petrovich questioned the judgement of Greens Member for Southern Metropolitan Sue Pennicuik in joining protestors at Lake Buloke near Donald on the opening weekend this year.
“Duck hunting is a legal, highly regulated activity, but the people entering these wetlands to protest are acting, in many cases, illegally,” said Mrs Petrovich.
Mrs Petrovich says that during the recent duck hunting season no hunters were charged for illegally destroying protected wildlife, however 54 infringement notices were issued to protesters for illegally entering wetlands during the prohibited period.
Mrs Petrovich also questioned the actions of protestors who collect and take away ducks.
“For every duck that is collected and taken away, a hunter can shoot an additional duck. A hunter has a bag limit of 10 ducks. In many respects, those protesters who are out in the wetlands protesting against the killing of waterfowl are actually facilitating additional shots being fired and additional birds being shot,” said Mrs Petrovich.
The 2011 duck hunting season finished on Monday 13 June and, following a year of above-average rainfall, returned to the normal 12-week period. This was the first unmodified season since 1999.
Mrs Petrovich says that significantly improved environmental conditions following above average rainfall and flooding across large areas of eastern Australia resulted in a significant increase in waterbird breeding and populations throughout eastern Australia.
“The statewide waterfowl survey undertaken during November by Field and Game Australia and Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) indicated the highest level of breeding since surveys began nearly 20 years ago,” said Mrs Petrovich.
After years of drought and then recent widespread flooding, the communities near Victoria’s wetland areas were very thankful for the economic benefits associated with this year’s full 12-week duck season - the first in over 10 years, said Mrs Petrovich.
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