Tuesday, 10 September 2024

Western Victoria Region

Bev McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (13:00): (1104) My question for the Minister for Environment concerns the last-minute consultation with farmers announced on the soon-to-expire dingo unprotection order. His department has been discussing the matter with animal welfare groups since February but only now speaks to farmers, and wild dog control was abolished in the north-west in March without any consultation at all with farmers. I ask the minister, as do my Western Victorian constituents: does your reluctance to allow wild dog control reflect an ideology of seeking not just to protect dingoes at the expense of farmers but to reintroduce them across Victoria? If so, will you be fair? If reintroducing this cute-looking wild dog is okay for regional Victoria, what about Melbourne? Can we look forward to wild dogs in the Royal Botanic Gardens, along the Yarra River, a handful in the Fitzroy Gardens and even here at Parliament House? Foxes find enough food, and dingoes could easily, too – abundant puppies and fluffy pussycats. Will you be consistent, Minister, or will only farmers – (Time expired)