LIMITED DUCK SEASON SHOULD BE CONSIDERED: NATIONALS

More flexibility in decision making is needed to ensure appropriate duck hunting procedures are in place, according to the Nationals Member for Eastern Victoria, Peter Hall.

Mr Hall, after raising the matter in Parliament in February, has just received a attempted justification from the State Environment Minister for the decision to cancel this year’s season.

“My concern is that this decision was made too early, without the capacity to take into account changes in weather patterns,” Mr Hall said.

“The State Government decided in December last year to cancel the season, only to have quite heavy rainfall across parts of Eastern Australia.

“There needs to be more flexibility to allow the Government to respond to changes, even if it is to allow a limited season with limited bag numbers,” Mr Hall said.

He said the reality is that by the middle of March, when the season would normally open, there could have been a duck hunting season.

“Conditions improved significantly after the decision was made mid – December, with rains in Queensland and northern New South Wales, with water birds flocking to those areas and breeding in literally tens of thousands. Conditions have also continued to remain most favourable in parts of Victoria, particularly Gippsland.

“The problem is the Government has locked itself into a premature decision making process. The end result could be that local regions that benefit from duck hunting miss out, when a restricted season could have provided some benefit.

“As well, we could face a huge surge in the duck population, which may then become a management problem next year.”

Mr Hall favoured the approach taken in 2005, when drought was far more evident across Victoria than this year and the state was experiencing a worse season in terms of water bird numbers. In that year the government announced a limited season with limited bag limits.

“I had requested that the minister reconsider his decision to cancel the 2008 duck hunting season in Victoria, but unfortunately there is no flexibility in the system. This needs to change so that proper management of bird numbers takes place and the economic benefits of duck hunting are not denied to country towns.”

Media contact:                  Peter Hall      (03) 5174 7066   or 0427 747 066