Tuesday, 15 October 2024

 Tom McINTOSH (Eastern Victoria) (12:57): (1134) My question is for the Minister for Environment in the other place. Minister, what is the Victorian government doing to tackle the issue of wild deer in Eastern Victoria? Wild deer are a major problem for my constituents in Gippsland. In Foster I have heard from local farmers and South Gippsland Landcare board members about the damage that wild deer have been doing to farmland, destroying crops and eating fodder. This includes vital revegetation works. Wild deer are also a threat to local places, with many native plants and animals affected by deer, especially in our region’s national parks. The feral deer are causing problems to constituents in Eastern Victoria, including for road safety. While some progress has been made, we need to continue controlling wild deer to best support our local natural places and local communities.