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Melina Bath criticises Labor’s digital-only licence system, calling it discriminatory and locking out hunters lacking internet accessMelina Bath urges Minister Dimopoulos to reinstate paper-based licence renewals, ensuring hunters aren’t excluded and focusing on hunting competency over digital skills By news@gippsland - 3rd December 2025 - Back to News Thousands of Victorian hunters face a licence renewal headache as the Allan Labor government moves to an online portal. Under current rules, hunters must renew duck and quail licences online via the Game Management Authority (GMA)’s My Game Licence portal, requiring an individual email address and completion of online education modules. 
Melina Bath urges Minister Dimopoulos to reinstate paper-based licence renewals, ensuring hunters aren’t excluded and focusing on hunting competency over digital skills Fair hunting accessShadow Minister for Outdoor Recreation, Melina Bath, has criticised the move, calling it discriminatory and impractical. "Minister Steve Dimopoulos is burying the truth, Labor’s digital-only approach is locking out law-abiding hunters who simply don’t have internet access or digital skills. This is an equity issue. Many hunters live in areas with poor connectivity or limited infrastructure," Ms Bath said. Victoria has thousands of licensed duck hunters, with a significant number required to renew each year. Many hunters struggle with the mandated online system, and a large proportion cannot complete the process independently. Labor has created a licensing system that measures digital literacy instead of hunting competency. Ms Bath said Minister Dimopoulos must immediately reinstate a paper-based pathway to ensure hunters aren’t unfairly excluded from renewing their licences. "Minister Dimopoulos must act now and provide a paper-based option for education modules and licence renewal, so hunters aren’t unfairly excluded. Labor must stop testing digital skills instead of hunting competency." Pictures from Melina Bath MP Facebook page.
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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