Over 100 dead native birds, including threatened and protected species, to be displayed outside the Premier’s office at 10am today
Shooters & Fishers Party Upper House member spins a line to cover up Illegal slaughter of threatened & protected species
The Coalition Against Duck Shooting will display over 100 native waterbirds outside Labor Premier Daniel Andrews’ office, 1 Treasury Place, East Melbourne, today at 10am.
These birds were recovered from just three Victorian wetlands (Lake Murphy, Lake Elizabeth and Bullrush Swamp) during the opening of the 2015 recreational duck shooting season last weekend.
The new Shooters & Fishers Party MP, Daniel Young, who was shooting on Lake Murphy in the state’s northwest on Saturday, stated to the media that: “We all do the right thing … we know what we’re doing and we only shoot what we’re allowed to.
Campaign Director Laurie Levy today said: “Daniel Young is either spinning a line to the media or incredibly ignorant of the realities of duck shooting. During the weekend, rescuers recovered over 100 dead or wounded waterbirds, including illegally shot threatened species such as Freckled Ducks, Blue-billed Ducks and Musk Ducks, as well as protected Hoary-headed Grebes, Eurasian Coots and a Swan.
“These illegally shot birds represent just the tip of the iceberg, as rescuers had their hands full searching only three wetlands.
“Millions of taxpayers’ dollars are spent for the benefit of duck shooters, but the job of caring for the innocent wounded victims and recovering illegally shot, threatened and protected species is undertaken solely by volunteer wildlife rescuers, who then face fines of $886 for their efforts.
“The public has a right to question why a modern-day Victorian Labor Government continues to allow this violent and cruel recreational activity, especially as duck shooters make up only 0.4 per cent of Victoria’s population. “Instead of being a prisoner to the Victorian gun lobby, it’s time Daniel Andrews started governing for the vast majority of Victorians who abhor animal cruelty,” Levy concluded.
For further information contact: Laurie Levy, Mobile: 0418 392 826
COALITION AGAINST DUCK SHOOTING
MEDIA RELEASE Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Rescuers to target northwest Victoria for the opening weekend of the 2015 duck shooting season
Labor’s female Ministers fail to veto male gun violence and cruelty to native waterbirds
Rescuers and media news crews hit with new fines of $886 for entering water before 10am
Coalition Against Duck Shooting rescuers will target the Kerang wetlands in northwest Victoria for the opening of the recreational duck shooting season this weekend. Rescuers and media news crews will face new fines of $886, just for entering the water before 10am.
Campaign Director Laurie Levy today said: “With parts of Victoria in drought, wetlands drying out or completely dry and with low waterbird numbers across the state, the decision to allow a duck shooting season this year is highly irresponsible.
“A number of wetlands have been artificially filled to attract birds for the shooters. This is nothing more than a form of canned hunting. Waterbirds will have no chance of escaping shooters on those Victorian wetlands still holding water,” Levy said.
“The Andrews Government’s decision to support and encourage recreational duck shooting, including by children as young as 12, contradicts Labor’s commitment to tackle family violence.
“It’s difficult to understand how Daniel Andrews, who portrays himself as a progressive Labor Premier, can continue to support an outdated blood sport that involves male gun violence and cruelty to native waterbirds.
“Labor responded immediately to the cruelty involved in the greyhound racing industry yet fails to react to the appalling cruelty that duck shooters will inflict on tens of thousands of native waterbirds.
“We had hoped Labor’s female Ministers would help convince their male colleagues that compassionate policies will always win the hearts, minds and votes of Victorians. With nine women Ministers in Cabinet, it is disappointing that they failed to veto the horrific, unnecessary brutality inflicted on defenceless native waterbirds by recreational shooters. It is unacceptable that children and teenagers are being encouraged to fire powerful shotguns at innocent creatures just for fun,” Levy continued.
Levy said that the new, independent Game Management Authority (GMA), established by the previous Napthine Government using $8.2 million of taxpayer funds, has a serious pro-hunter bias. Yet the new Labor Minister for Agriculture, Jaala Pulford, blindly agreed to the GMA’s recommendations while ignoring the expert ornithological advice of Birdlife Australia and the RSPCA that recreational duck shooting is inherently cruel and no longer sustainable.
“It is appalling that there is still no Victorian Government Department responsible for looking after the interests of Australia’s native waterbirds. That job is left to volunteer members of the public who face huge fines for helping the wounded victims.” Levy concluded.
For further information, contact: Laurie Levy, Campaign Director, Mobile 0418 392 826
COALITION AGAINST DUCK SHOOTING
Wednesday, 14 January 2015
Major decline in waterbird numbers across eastern Australia
Premier Dan Andrews continues the cycle of male gun violence and cruelty to native waterbirds – including ‘canned hunting’
The Coalition Against Duck Shooting has condemned the new Labor Government’s decision to hold a 2015 duck shooting season. Premier Andrews has ignored the latest science that shows a major decline in waterbird numbers and very few wetlands holding water.
Campaign Director Laurie Levy today asked: “Why is Victoria holding a recreational duck shooting season when Professor Richard Kingsford’s latest aerial survey shows waterbird numbers have declined by some 60 per cent? Wetlands across eastern Australia are either rapidly drying out or already dry and native waterbirds are in serious trouble. Professor Kingsford said the numbers of so-called game species in many areas are far below long-term averages.
“Birds seeking refuge from the drought in northern states will become sitting ducks on wetlands that have been artificially filled just prior to the Victorian duck shooting season. The government is introducing a form of canned hunting, just to please Victoria’s dwindling number of duck shooters, who make up only 0.4 per cent of the population,” Levy said.
“The Coalition Against Duck Shooting condemns Premier Dan Andrews and his cabinet, including the nine female MPs, for continuing the former Napthine Government’s unnecessary cycle of male gun violence and cruelty to native waterbirds,” Levy said.
“With so much gun violence taking place around the world today, it is disappointing that in Victoria children from the age of 12 are encouraged onto the wetlands with lethal shotguns and desensitised to violence and cruelty. Instead we would have expected modern-day Labor politicians would want to teach our children about compassion and kindness.
“Unfortunately the Andrews Labor Government is part of the cycle of male gun violence in this state.
“The job of looking after Australia’s native waterbirds in Victoria again falls to the Coalition Against Duck Shooting. We will return to the wetlands in 2015 with our rescue teams and mobile veterinary clinics to help Australia’s native waterbirds,” Levy concluded.