Thursday, 2 May 2019

Western Victoria Region

In reply to Mr MEDDICK (Western Victoria) (7 March 2019)

Ms D’AMBROSIO (Mill Park—Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Minister for Solar Homes):

I appreciate your concerns and acknowledge that there are people in the community that are not supportive of recreational duck shooting.

The government is committed to ensuring that game hunting in Victoria is conducted in a safe, responsible and sustainable manner.

This year, the duck hunting season opened on 16 March and will close on 19 May, three weeks earlier than usual due to the dry conditions currently being experienced.

To coincide with the commencement of the duck hunting season, the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) has released new hunting maps that show where game and pest animal hunting is permitted on public land in Victoria. These maps are available on the Game Management Authority website.

The hunting maps deliver a commitment of the Sustainable Hunting Action Plan 2016-2020 and seek to improve hunting location knowledge by providing clear information on where, when and what people can hunt.

The hunting maps are intended to support hunters in making a decision on where to hunt and will also provide an important tool for other recreational users to understand where hunting is occurring. Hunters however, will continue to be responsible for ensuring that they use firearms in a safe and responsible manner and are acting in accordance with the Firearms Act 1996.

Compliance officers from various agencies, including DELWP, the Game Management Authority, the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions, Parks Victoria and Victoria Police are active throughout the duck hunting season to ensure compliance with hunting and public safety laws.