Shooting in National Parks and privatised electricity - can you spot the link?

Just when New South Wales (NSW) politics seemed to be at its oddest - things have become even more strange.


In early May there was a flurry of media reports on proposed changes to hunting laws in NSW. Under proposed new regulations children as young as 12 will be permitted to hunt. The move has the backing of the Game Council of NSW and is strongly opposed by the Greens.  


But it doesn't end there. In the past week it has emerged that Barry O'Farrell, Premier of NSW, has done a deal with the Shooters and Fishers Party. The deal means that the O'Farrell Government will be able to sell NSW's electricity infrastructure. In return for supporting that legislation, the Shooters and Fishers Party will secure access to 79 of NSW's 799 National Parks for recreational hunters.    


The agreement is highly controversial. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service rangers are strongly opposed and have begun to organise around the issue. Rangers are threatening industrial action and the National Parks Association of NSW is also 'horrified'. The Invasive Species Council also opposes the move, arguing that hunters will increase the number of pest species in Parks:


Dr Carol Booth from the Invasive Species Council of Australia says, there is evidence recreational hunters seed public lands with feral animals, and hunting in National Parks could undermine feral animal control programs.

"They may catch the odd pig, but the dogs scatter the rest, making overall control more difficult.

The hunters also smash gates, cut fences, damage signs, dump rubbish, and regularly abandon or lose hunting dogs, that turn on the native animals, so park rangers certainly have major concerns about pig hunting in National Parks." 


But the story does not end there. Based on comments made by Shooters MP Robert Borsak, but unconfirmed by O'Farrell, it seems that the hands of time might be wound back in NSW, with duck hunting once again legalised. According to Borsak it will not be a 'traditional open and shut duck season' but rather a 'new model for sustainable, progressive utilisation based on species, populations, periodic need for mitigation and so on'.

So all eyes turn to NSW as we wait to see what the Shooters are able to secure next. 

Duck Hunting/Rescue Session Opens with a Bang!

Dunk hunting, or duck rescuing, session (depending on your perspective) opened with a bang this weekend in Victoria.

The Baillieu Government had already signalled its intention to get tough on duck rescuers when a rescuer was charged with 'failure to kill' while trying to get an injured duck veterinary attention: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/national/dead-duck-lands-rescuer-in-court/story-e6frea8c-1226298741251.

If media reports can be believed the government has made good on those threats on the first day of opening weekend.

Already campaign director Laurie Levy has been charged with entering the water: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/season-opener-see-laurie-levy-charged/story-fn7x8me2-1226302381913.

In 27 years as duck rescue campaign director this is the first time I can recall Levy being charged.

This is day one of what will apparently be a long season. I look forward to more news from the wetland as the season progresses.

Duck rescuer charged with failing to kill an injured bird

Today was a big day for duck rescuers and the Melbourne legal system.

Today, for the first time in 27 years, charges brought against a duck rescuer who failed to kill a bird in his possession, were heard in Melbourne.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-03-13/activist-charged-for-failing-to-kill-duck/3886264

This will be another fascinating test case. It will establish whether rescuers can legitimately provide medial aid to animals who have been shot but not killed.

Stay tuned!!!

Do duck rescuers harass shooters or is it fair game?

This coming weekend the 2012 Victorian duck shooting season will open.


As in passed years, the opening weekend will attract large numbers of shooter and a sizeable group of rescuers. 


The shooters are there to shoot. 


The rescuers are there to monitor, aid injured wildlife and warn birds of the danger. 


There is little love lost between shooters and rescuers and while I have never been out on the wetlands myself, I would guess that both sides like to sledge. 


Yet will this duck season be the same as in years gone past? That will be decided in the Melbourne Magistrates Court over the next week when six rescuers will face charges of 'hindering and harassing' shooters.   


This is an important test case because until now it has not been clear what constitutes 'hindering and harassing'. 


The charges follow a crack down by the Victorian Government. If the case brought against duck rescuers is successful it could have serious implications for future duck rescue campaigns - but then I guess that's the point. 


In a press release put out today campaign director Laurie Levy used strong language to infer that the charges are part of a larger project intended to drive duck rescuers away from the wetlands:


The wildlife compliance officers who devised the sting were not only duck shooters, but some were also office bearers of the shooting organisations, Field and Game Australia and the Sporting Shooters Association.  These officers have misused their positions to conspire against duck rescuers.  This not only represents a serious conflict of interest, but is a form of corruption that must be investigated by the soon to be established Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC).


It should be a fascinating case and I look forward to learning the outcome. I wonder whether it will be known before the first shot of the 2012 session is fired. 

Good Things come to those who Wait

Two very nice things happened to me today.


The first was that I had a coffee with my PhD supervisor Prof. Lyn Carson: http://www.activedemocracy.net/. It was wonderful to be able to give her a copy of my book 'Animals, Equality and Democracy' http://www.palgrave.com/products/title.aspx?pid=393597 after commencing my PhD with her so many years ago. My book is based on my PhD http://ses.library.usyd.edu.au/bitstream/2123/2441/1/01front.pdf and I would not have been able to produce either without Carson's help.

Today I also learnt that my book was mentioned in the Victorian Parliament by Green MLC Sue Pennicuik http://mps.vic.greens.org.au/suepennicuik. I was honoured to have Sue Pennicuik  at my book launch. 


In Parliament Sue Pennicuik said:



In her book Siobhan explores why it is that we treat animals differently depending on their status or their use for and by humans and whether or not they are in public view. Laws and regulations for the protection of the same species of animal can differ markedly depending on these factors. This is something we all know but most people rarely think about, and Siobhan argues that this is inconsistent with liberal democratic values.


I pay tribute to these wonderful women



The other woman Sue Pennicuik is referring to is Lyn White from Animals Australia who has done so much to publicise problems with Australia's live export trade.


Here is the full transcript of what was said in Parliament: http://mps.vic.greens.org.au/content/animals-welfare


Readers with a keen eye will also notice that standing with Sue Pennicuik is Laurie Levy from the Coalition against Duck Shooting. With the duck shooting season about to commence again soon it was also very humbling to have Laurie attend my launch and support my research.