'Shoot First Answer Questions Later' Lacks Transparency
Western Victoria MP Bev McArthur has called for transparency from Parks Victoria over the shooting of brumbies, following a Court decision on Friday giving the agency permission to proceed with their cull at the end of a bullet.
The Supreme Court refused Omeo cattleman Philip Maguire's application for leave to appeal a previous decision which allowed Parks Victoria to shoot wild horses as part of efforts to protect native flora and fauna.
Ground shooting operations may now begin despite Parks’ published 2018-21 Feral Horse Strategic Action Plan, on which full community consultation was conducted, noting that "shooting will not be used to control free-ranging feral horses".
Mrs McArthur said: “Despite this latest judgement, it remains clear that the Action Plan carried out by Parks Victoria bears no relation to the shooting strategy they may now embark on. People are rightly outraged.”
“Like many others, I have warned about the difficulties of carrying out any humane ground cull in the areas Parks wish to purge of brumbies. It is absolutely essential that they act transparently so that the impact on animal welfare can be properly examined. I’m sorry to say that this whole process has destroyed any community trust in Parks Victoria, and it is now essential that any action they take can be appropriately monitored.”
“It will also be important to see if the claimed population numbers, based on estimates made long before the bush-fire season, can be sustained. All of this requires openness and transparency on the operations.”
“Finally, Landowners and the public should always be warned when such dangerous activities are undertaken by the State.”
“I have today written to Minister d’Ambrosio asking that she and her agency, come clean with Victorians and particularly the community and landowners in the Parks Victoria designated shooting areas so as to afford proper safety measures for the public, landowners and other livestock,” Mrs McArthur said.
“It is also totally appropriate, that given the Legislative Council voted unanimously to direct the Government to abandon their ‘shoot first and answer questions later‘ option, we should all be entitled to learn where, when and by what means, a government agency is going to carry on with the destruction of these animals, in total defiance of the Parliament.”
“If Parks Victoria believe they can justify this activity, then they should have nothing to hide.”
21 June 2020