RSPCA Victoria is thrilled the Select Committee Inquiry into Victoria's recreational native bird hunting arrangements has recommended native duck and quail hunting be banned. RSPCA Victoria is now urging the Victorian Government to take the final step and legislate a ban.
Dr Liz Walker, RSPCA Victoria CEO, said the Select Committee Report recommendations were a fantastic step in the right direction.
"This report is the next crucial step to end native bird hunting in Victoria," Dr Walker said.
"The evidence is clear; the high wounding rates for ducks and quail highlights the inherent and inevitable pain and suffering experienced by hundreds of thousands of ducks and quail each year - and that is why it needs to be banned.
"We strongly urge the Victorian Government to take the next step and endorse the Select Committee's recommendation by legislating to end native bird hunting."
If banned, the change will bring Victoria into line with other states which have already banned the practice including Western Australia (1990), New South Wales (1995) and Queensland (2005) and align with community sentiment, with the majority of Victorians[1] also supporting a ban.
RSPCA Victoria provided a submission to the Select Committee and gave evidence at the public hearings outlining multiple concerns including: the high wounding rate; inhumane killing methods for retrieved wounded birds; concerns regarding the scale and scope of enforcement and compliance requirements; risks to critically endangered species and long-term declines in waterbird populations.
RSPCA Victoria will continue to advocate for this change over the coming months to help achieve this long-awaited outcome.
1 Victoria's draft Waterfowl Wounding Reduction Action Plan 2022-2026
2 https://new.parliament.vic.gov.au/4a2732/contentassets/46339763f2fc445bb6c87b04ba8f053f/2.-rspca-vic-brand-tracking-research-by-kantar-public.pdf
