Victorian Select Committee recommends ban as inquiry continues in SA
Gunfire reverberating across Victoria’s wetland habitats may soon be a sound of the past with the release of a Select Committee report recommending native duck and quail hunting be banned in Victoria.
The report follows a five-month inquiry into Victoria’s recreational native bird hunting arrangements that attracted more than 10,400 submissions. Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory are the only states and territories where duck shooting is permitted. Western Australia, NSW and Queensland banned the activity in 1990, 1995 and 2005, respectively.
On 23 February this year, the SA Government announced a review of duck and quail hunting in South Australia. Among the groups to put in submissions strongly opposed to the hunting of native waterbirds are RSPCA South Australia and the Australian Veterinary Association.
RSPCA SA Animal Welfare Advocate Dr Rebekah Eyers said the Victorian Select Committee’s recommendation aligns with the majority public sentiment around the shooting of native waterbirds in their wetland habitats.
“There is no doubt that this recreational activity’s social license to operate has expired,” Dr Eyers said.
“These shooters are not culling a pest species, they are engaging in an activity that they enjoy and that may be a long family tradition, but tradition should never serve as an excuse for allowing an inhumane activity to continue.
“Every time shooters open fire in these usually peaceful wetland habitats, they cause a level of trauma and suffering to the native birdlife and fauna that cannot be justified on any grounds.
“The painful but often non-lethal injuries inflicted on flying birds when struck by shotgun pellets is the primary reason why RSPCA wants this activity to cease.”2
Footage of duck shooters captured in just the first 24 hours of this year’s duck shooting season in South Australia, released to media in March, suggests the wounding of birds and the failure of shooters to rapidly and humanely kill downed birds may be systemic.
“The gunfire also disturbs local residents and dissuades eco-tourists and bird watchers from visiting these wilderness areas during the four-month hunting season,” Dr Eyers said.
“RSPCA SA joins many others in urging the Victorian Government to take the final step and legislate a ban.
“And since the compelling evidence behind the Victorian Select Committee’s recommendation is applicable to duck hunting in this state too, we hope this report informs the SA Inquiry’s recommendations so that our wetlands’ wildlife is also spared the pain and trauma of another hunting season.”
Submissions to the SA inquiry closed on 19 May 2023, and the Select Committee is expected to deliver its final report in November.
