Which is unfortunately why it won't happen - both Labor (even when it was
against their official policy) and the Coalition support duck hunting so I
am sure they will find a way to wriggle out of it.
On 22 March 2013 16:51, Joshua Bergmark <> wrote:
> "My request is that the minister immediately order the closure of the Box
> Flat nature conservation reserve wetland in accordance with the freckled
> duck action plan and the emergency provisions of section 86A of the
> Wildlife Act 1975. I also request that the minister instigate a survey of
> all wetlands where duck shooting is occurring or likely to occur and that
> he close them, including Box Flat conservation reserve, under section 86 of
> the Wildlife Act 1975 if freckled duck and other protected species are
> present."
>
>
>
> Does that not mean that if this proposition is accepted, then every single
> wetland where a "protected species" is found, such as the not-so-rare Black
> Swan, Eurasian Coot, etc, would be closed to hunters? In which case, it
> would not be difficult to close almost 100% of Victoria's wetlands to duck
> shooting? Loophole exploiting at its finest if we can make that happen.
>
>
> Cheers, Joshua Bergmark
>
>
>
>
>
> > From:
> > To:
> > Date: Fri, 22 Mar 2013 15:10:57 +1100
> > Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Bird 'massacre' in Victoria
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > This is the full text of last Wednesday's speech in the Victorian Upper
> House by Sue Pennicuik. Apologies if formatting doesn't work.
> > Duck hunting: wetland closuresMs PENNICUIK (Southern Metropolitan) -- My
> adjournment matter is for the Minister for Agriculture and Food Security. I
> am very disturbed to have been informed by Mr Laurie Levy from the
> Coalition against Duck Shooting that rare and threatened freckled ducks and
> other protected non-game species were illegally shot on the opening weekend
> of the duck shooting season at the Box Flat nature conservation reserve, a
> wetland close to the town of Boort in north-western Victoria. Half the
> property is on Crown land, and the other half is on private property. I am
> informed that approximately 150 shooters were present at Box Flat last
> Saturday morning when around 2000 birds were shot. Game species took the
> biggest hit, with hundreds of pink-eared ducks falling victim. Pink-eared
> ducks do not leave a wetland when disturbed by gunshot -- they tend to fly
> around low over the water, making them an easy target for shooters.
> > I was horrified to hear reports that many non-game species were also
> shot at Box Flat that morning, including approximately 200 rare and
> threatened freckled ducks and several rare blue-billed ducks. Both species
> are protected and cannot legally be shot. They are easily identifiable, and
> the blue-billed duck rarely flies. Those that were killed may have been
> shot while on the water, which is illegal and highly dangerous.It was also
> reported that around 50 swans and other protected species, such as coot and
> possibly avocets -- all protected waterbirds -- and other protected
> non-waterbird species, including birds of prey, were shot. It was described
> as a massacre of threatened, protected and game species.I am also informed
> that after the illegal shooting became known, Department of Primary
> Industries (DPI) and Department of Sustainability and Environment officers
> attended the wetlands and many of the dead protected birds may have been
> removed ahead of the investigation that DP
> I
> > has confirmed to Mr Levy is taking place. If that is the case, the
> investigation has been compromised, and the public may never know the truth
> of the numbers of protected species that were slaughtered that morning. Mr
> Levy was also informed that a similar incident took place last year but was
> hushed up.Licensed shooters who shoot protected species or exceed the bag
> limit of game species must be prosecuted, and it would be difficult to
> believe that people would not be prosecuted after an incident such as
> this.My request is that the minister immediately order the closure of the
> Box Flat nature conservation reserve wetland in accordance with the
> freckled duck action plan and the emergency provisions of section 86A of
> the Wildlife Act 1975. I also request that the minister instigate a survey
> of all wetlands where duck shooting is occurring or likely to occur and
> that he close them, including Box Flat conservation reserve, under section
> 86 of the Wildlife Act 1975 if freckled d
> uck and other protected species are present. I also request that the
> minister ensure that this incident be investigated thoroughly and
> impartially and that the results be released to the public.
> >
> >
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