Duck hunting
Mr MEDDICK (Western Victoria) (12:26): My question is for the Minister for Agriculture. The disposal of soil containing PFAS has been hotly debated in this chamber, with outrage from all sides of politics, but PFAS is also found now in many wetlands and other environments and is biomagnified up the food chain, found in the flesh of waterfowl in much greater concentrations than in so-called toxic soil. The Environment Protection Authority Victoria has made it clear that flesh from ducks should not be consumed from certain sites:
Do not consume ducks harvested from the Heart Morass Wetlands. This includes both the State Game Reserve and private land.
…
Do not consume ducks harvested from Dowd Morass Wetland.
And on it goes. But shooting at these wetlands continues. It continued last year despite these warnings, so either shooters are ignoring this advice and eating contaminated birds and feeding them to their families or they are shooting birds for the thrill of the kill. Minister, if there is a duck-shooting season this year, will the minister close down wetlands with known PFAS contamination?
Ms TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:27): I thank Mr Meddick for his question and again the consistent representation that he makes, and the consistent representation that Mr Bourman makes, time in and time out. The consistent response that you will receive again today is that I will refer it to the Minister for Agriculture, and I am sure that she will respond consistent with the standing orders.
Mr MEDDICK (Western Victoria) (12:28): Thank you, Minister, for referring that on. On a supplementary, I have been reliably advised that ducks have wings and can fly. How can the minister know that there are not ducks contaminated with PFAS on nearby wetlands without PFAS warnings?
Ms TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:28): Again I thank Mr Meddick for his supplementary, and again it will be referred to the Minister for Agriculture for a response.