The Victorian Greens have said the Victorian Labor Government must ban duck shooting as a matter of urgency, following the release of the latest Eastern Australian waterbird survey.
The annual survey was released today, and found that duck populations were continuing to decline in the long term due to the effects of El Niño and drying.
Victorian Greens animals spokesperson, Katherine Copsey, said in the midst of an extinction crisis and with thousands of waterbirds already under extreme stress, a decision to ban duck shooting was well overdue.
In August, a parliamentary inquiry into duck shooting handed down its final report, which recommended a ban on the practice.
At the time the Greens said Labor shouldn’t need an inquiry to tell it that duck shooting had had its day. But with the inquiry’s recommendation and today’s alarming survey, they have no more excuses to delay action.
As stated by Victorian Greens animals spokesperson, Katherine Copsey MLC:
“Duck shooting is a barbaric practice that has been given the green light by Victorian Labor for far too long – the Government should act swiftly to end the slaughter of our native birds.
“We know Victoria is in the midst of an extinction crisis and we know thousands of waterbirds are already under extreme stress, so to continue to allow duck shooting year on year is nothing short of inhumane.
“We need to end duck shooting once and for all, and recognise it for what it is: glorified animal cruelty.”
