Gippsland › Latest news › Danny O'Brien MP

Danny O'Brien calls on rejection of duck hunting ban recommendation by Andrews Labor government and prioritise habitat preservation

Danny O'Brien urges the Andrews Labor government to reject a biassed inquiry's recommendation to ban duck hunting in Victoria, argues that hunting minimally impacts duck populations and highlights the importance of habitat preservation.

By news@gippsland - 31st August 2023 - Back to News

The Nationals Member for Gippsland South, Danny O'Brien has called on the Andrews Labor government to reject the findings of an ideological and biased inquiry report into the continuation of duck hunting. Mr O'Brien said that he would not accept the recommendation to end duck hunting in Victoria and that the Parliamentary Inquiry was stacked in favour of Labor, the Greens and the Animal Justice Party.

Danny O'Brien supports Gippslanders practising sustainable food harvesting, engaging in extensive environmental volunteer work, and urge the state government to preserve duck hunting

Habitat preservation

Mr O'Brien said, "The Inquiry heard very clear evidence that habitat is the key to sustaining duck populations and that hunting has a very minimal impact. I am acutely aware of the efforts of hunters around the state to maintain and improve wetland habitat."

"Indeed, had it not been for hunters in the 1950s and 1960s pressuring the government to establish State Game Reserves, many of our wetlands and therefore breeding grounds for native water birds would have been lost."

"The committee's own report states that the decline in bird numbers is "being driven largely by habitat loss" but then goes on to recommend a ban on hunting. This is illogical and unscientific and just reinforces that this inquiry was a stitch up from the start with a predetermined outcome," he said.

Hunting recommendations

Mr O'Brien says it was illogical that the report suggests hunting should be banned due to animal welfare issues but continue to be allowed for Aboriginal Victorians due to cultural reasons. "I would have thought animal welfare is animal welfare, irrespective of who is pulling the trigger. This is just one example of the illogical and unscientific approach to this issue."

"I stand with the many Gippslanders who safely practise traditional harvesting of food, who undertake a massive amount of volunteer work to protect our environment and who deserve the support of the state government. Labor should reject these findings and allow duck season to continue," Mr O'Brien concluded.

Pictures from Field & Game Australia Facebook page.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com