Wednesday, 18 October 2023

Select Committee on Victoria’s Recreational Native Bird Hunting Arrangements

Inquiry into Victoria’s Recreational Native Bird Hunting Arrangements

Michael GALEA (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (17:24): I rise today to speak on another report which was tabled on 31 August this year, and I confess I got excited for a moment thinking that Mrs McArthur and I were talking about the same report. But I of course refer to –

Bev McArthur: There are many.

Michael GALEA: There are many, but I refer to the report on Victoria’s recreational native bird hunting arrangements. I had the pleasure of being on the select committee with Mrs McArthur and other colleagues in this room, which handed down its report, on schedule, on 31 August this year. I understand the government is now considering it under the six-month window, and I do look forward to the government’s response, which I am sure we will receive within the six months.

Bev McArthur: Not on this record, Mr Galea.

Michael GALEA: I am sure we will, Mrs McArthur. I hope to prove you wrong, and I am sure that we will have a good chat when I do prove you wrong. I have already provided some brief remarks in this chamber in my 2-minute speech on the 31st itself when our chair Mr Batchelor handed down the report. I do not wish to reconvene on any of those comments, I do not wish to alter them at all and I do stand by them. I do think that this is a strong report that has taken in good evidence from across the spectrum of belief and has delivered a very justifiable set of recommendations.

We all had our various contributions to the chamber, those of us who were on the committee. I am happy to be corrected, but I believe that everyone who was on the committee gave a brief report on it on that morning. But obviously a number of members, as we all like to do, trotted off to go have a chat with our friends in the media as well, and I had the opportunity to later that day observe Mr Mulholland’s comments on the news, when he made the comment that, ‘This is the end of the weekend.’ ‘This is the end of the weekend’ is quite a remarkable statement. I have got to say, frankly, first of all, if you are going to start quoting Scott Morrison to Victorians and you think that is going to be an election-winning strategy, all the best to you, but I am somewhat sceptical that that might actually work for you. I found it particularly odd.

I note that Mr Mulholland is now running around the northern suburbs trying to rally against these changes, and I find it particularly interesting because one of the wonderful things about committee reports is that where there is a division on a particular subject – and of course this is a very controversial issue; we know that there is lots of division – you can actually see every single thing that we as members of the committee vote on. It is a good process, and along with other colleagues – I note some colleagues were unable to attend, including you, Mrs McArthur, and our chair Mr Batchelor – we have the opportunity to have our say and have our votes recorded as well, which I think is very important for the democratic process that committees are of course a key part of.

I would draw Mr Mullholland’s attention to a vote that he cast, which is on page 220 of this report. It relates to a recommendation that was in the report that ultimately was taken out based on this vote:

Katherine Copsey moved, omit Recommendation 5: That the Game Management Authority should focus on supporting and expanding game hunting for non-native species, such as deer, fox and rabbit, to assist with the control of these invasive species.

It also shows you here who voted which way, so here are the people that voted against the Game Management Authority expanding game hunting for areas such as deer, fox and rabbit: Melina Bath, Jeff Bourman, Katherine Copsey, Evan Mulholland and Georgie Purcell. The noes: Michael Galea. I think if Mr Mulholland is going to go and talk to hunters and say that he is on their side he needs to be up-front with them and say that he actually voted against the expansion of hunting rights for deer, fox, rabbit and other invasive species. I think it is important that he not try and be disingenuous with the people he is speaking to when he does go and gallivant around trying to whip up support against this report’s recommendations.

I will leave my remarks there. There is much more to say on this report and many other different chapters and many other parts of evidence that were looked at, but I will leave my contribution there, and I am happy to engage Mr Mulholland on the matter at any time.