North-Eastern Metropolitan Region
Aiv PUGLIELLI (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:52): (1694) My question today is to the Minister for Environment. Yarra Ranges council recently voted unanimously for their municipality to be excluded from the kangaroo harvesting program. The commercial killing of kangaroos is causing significant community distress. A survey recently found that the majority of residents want their kangaroos protected from this cruel scheme. People have reported horrific things happening in this area, like dying kangaroos found with joeys in their pouches, starving joeys being taken to shelters, utes driving through town with a dozen kangaroos strung up in the tray and families with their kids coming across dead kangaroos around their community. We know that these for-profit hunters do not care about our precious native animals. The council have also acknowledged the impact that killing these native creatures has had on tourism in the region. Minister, do not ignore this community’s wishes. Yarra Ranges council should be excluded from the kangaroo harvesting program. Will you remove them from this harvesting scheme?