Thursday, 23 June 2022

 Mr BOURMAN (Eastern Victoria) (12:24): My question is for the minister representing the minister for the environment in the other place. As many will know, I am not a fan of aerial culling, mainly due to animal welfare issues and cost, and in the case of the brumbies the fact that it is happening at all. But the CSIRO did a study, and that found a wide variance in animal welfare outcomes for aerial deer culling in Australia, with as many as 14 per cent of deer suffering wounding. Victoria declined invitations to participate in that study. Minister, if there is nothing to hide, there is nothing to hide. Will you advise what independent monitoring is in place to ensure animal welfare in aerial culling and where we can find the results of that monitoring?

 Mr LEANE (Eastern Metropolitan—Minister for Local Government, Minister for Suburban Development, Minister for Veterans) (12:24): Thank you, Mr Bourman, for your question. It is a question directed to the minister for the environment, and I will make sure she receives Mr Bourman’s question and Mr Bourman gets a response in line with the standing orders. I thank Mr Bourman again for his concern for animal welfare, which he has consistently spoken about in this chamber, along with Mr Meddick.

 Mr BOURMAN (Eastern Victoria) (12:25): I kind of thank the minister for his answer. Minister, Victoria spends a whopping $270.88 per deer culled, with no credible understanding of the impact of that harvest on the population numbers or the environment. By contrast, Victoria’s 52 000 recreational deer hunters put over $220 million into the economy whilst harvesting around a quarter of a million deer a year. What is the government doing to improve access for recreational deer hunters to the parks?

 Mr LEANE (Eastern Metropolitan—Minister for Local Government, Minister for Suburban Development, Minister for Veterans) (12:25): That is also a question from Mr Bourman to the minister for the environment, and I will make sure that she receives the question and responds to Mr Bourman within what is prescribed in the standing orders. Once again, I acknowledge all members of this chamber’s concerns about animal welfare, including Mrs McArthur.