Laurie Levy and Neal Bethune campaigned to assist stranded whales from 1981 to 1988 (see their 47 minute documentary ‘The Whale Savers’ which was aired on ABC TV in 1984).

Once governments implemented their rescue plans and recommendations, the Whale Rescue Centre closed down.

However, to assist the whale campaign, in 1985 Laurie stood for the Democrats in Geelong.   The duck shooting season started on the same day as the election.  Laurie took a lunch break from handing out ‘how to vote’ cards and because he was curious to see what took place on the wetlands during duck openings, decided to visit the nearby Connewarre wetlands.

Laurie knew very little about native ducks at that time but did know that the pelicans, swans, ibis, cormorants and myriad of other species being illegally shot were not ducks.  He was outraged at the injustice to the beautiful birds and astounded that regulating officers were themselves shooting waterbirds instead of watching the hunters.

Later that year his intervention led to wildlife officers being prevented from shooting birds while on the job, and a change in the opening times so there was less shooting in total darkness before dawn.

Then in 1986, a group of 15 Animal Liberation rescuers joined a rescue team that Laurie organised at Reedy Lake, part of the Connewarre Lakes near Geelong, where they faced around 8,000 shooters. The wounded birds were recovered and taken to the CADS veterinary unit for treatment and care.