Thursday, 13 August 2026

 Jeff BOURMAN (Eastern Victoria) (12:35): (1420) My question is for the environment minister. Overabundant sambar deer are damaging important cultural assets around Walhalla, including assets relevant to the town’s inclusion in the UNESCO Victorian goldfields World Heritage bid. Last year the state government assisted SSAA Victoria to conduct a thermal drone survey of the deer there – and I have got to say thermal drone surveys are pretty cool. SSAA have now proposed a trial using volunteer hunters to control deer around Walhalla, with suitable harvested venison processed and donated through charities. Will you commit to working with SSAA Victoria and the relevant agencies to get this trial underway?

 Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Minister for Energy and Resources, Minister for Environment, Minister for Climate Action, Minister for the State Electricity Commission) (12:36): I thank Mr Bourman for his question and also my now interest in thermal drone surveys. It is an important issue. The impacts of an increasing deer population are felt, I know, in your region. It is certainly felt in my region, and many members of this chamber have spoken about it before. It is why the Victorian government developed the Victorian Deer Control Strategy in 2020, and I know that there is also, for the purposes of your region, the east Victoria deer control plan, which is the government’s plan to reduce the impact of deer across eastern Victoria, including the areas that you have referred to. Obviously the plan aims to create a consistent framework to guide investment and on-ground actions for greater biodiversity benefit, which reduces impacts of deer across all land but particularly valuable land. The government has committed $4.4 million of ongoing annual funding to enable Parks Victoria, the Victorian Deer Control Community Network, traditional owner groups and the Australian Deer Association to work collaboratively to manage and reduce the impacts of deer populations. I am certainly happy to have ongoing conversations with the representative groups that you are familiar with. There are people in my office that I can get them in contact with. Certainly it is an interest of mine and something that we are happy to work with you on, Mr Bourman.

 Jeff BOURMAN (Eastern Victoria) (12:38): I thank the minister for her now interest. Minister, various green-aligned groups have been generating plenty of headlines about deer, including at Walhalla, whilst also calling for deer to be declared a pest species. Can the minister advise the house: what kills more deer in Victoria each year – recreational deer hunters or newspaper headlines?

The PRESIDENT: I think that is asking for an opinion. We will give that a pass.