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Greens move to ban duck shooting as season opens

30 Mar, 2009 12:16 PM

Greens MLC Mark Parnell will introduce a private members bill into State Parliament to ban open duck shooting seasons in South Australia.

The announcement comes as the 2009 duck shooting season officially opened on Saturday, after being cancelled last year due to low bird numbers and the poor state of bird habitat in the State’s South East.

“It’s time to stop this cruel and inhumane practice once and for all," Mr Parnell said.

"The killing and maiming of native birds is indefensible and has no place in a compassionate society.

“South Australia is one of the last places in Australia to allow the recreational shooting of ducks. NSW, Queensland and WA have all banned it.

“After not allowing a season last year due to concerns about low bird numbers, Minister Weatherill has decided to declare the season open this year, despite no real improvement in bird numbers or conditions in South Australia.

“Even worse, his Department has ignored the recommendation of its own advisory committee that the season should remain closed.

“The idea of shooting out of the sky native birds already struggling to find refuge in stressed wetlands in our State’s South East is simply bizarre.

“I urge all parties to support the Greens Bill so we can stop the annual slaughter of ducks once and for all."

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comments

Date: Newest first | Oldest first

I'm sure many readers here are awake to the lies propogated by the greens, and this is another one. Duck hunting is not banned anywhere except the ACT, and is a wide-spread practice in crop growing areas where ducks are in plague proportions.

Posted by DHV, 31/03/2009 5:53:11 PM

And what's next. A bill to stop the harvesting of processed meat. Shutdown abattoirs so that we can only eat tofu instead of eating true free range organic meat animals. Humans eat meat. Not eating meat is inhuman and that is what the Greens are. That they manage to get voted in is a great human tragedy.

Posted by davidb, 31/03/2009 5:59:56 PM

Greens propaganda again. Check the numbers of dogs, cats and other animals the RSPCA (backed by the Greens) sadly murder each year (that are in their 'protective custody') compared to the number of ducks humanely shot. Mr Parnell's comment "The killing and maiming of native birds is indefensible and has no place in a compassionate society." So why do they kill more than the alleged blood thirsty hunters portrayed in this media beef up? And hunters are the bad guys apparently,...open your eyes Australia.

Posted by Dave B, 31/03/2009 6:28:06 PM

"Bizarre", Parnell says about his own idea, that an entire duck population is cramming itself in to the a tiny corner of South Australia, as if they are incapable of crossing state borders! Has Parnell not heard about the floods in Queensland or the filling of Lake Eyre? It's time Australians understood the true motivation of the Greens when it comes to issues such as this. The Greens have a pathological hatred of humankind and will do their utmost to establish a complete disconnection between our species and the rest of nature. This is why they want to ban fishing, hunting and eating meat. They'd ban eating plants, too, if they could get away with it!

Posted by Russell, 31/03/2009 6:41:20 PM

Mr Parnell uses emotionally charged language such as 'cruel and inhumane', 'killing and maiming' to disguise the facts of the matter. The declaration or otherwise of a duck hunting season is a decision based on scientific study of the conditions prevailing, not on an outdated anthropomorphic view of wildlife. The Minister has made a defensible decision on the facts.

Posted by Garry, 31/03/2009 10:12:47 PM

Mr Parnell is wrong in stating that duck hunting is banned in NSW and Qld. There would be more ducks shot in NSW than in Victoria under their Gamebird Management Program, which is managed by NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and in Qld duck shooting can still be done under permit for crop protection. So Mr Parnell should do some research and state facts, but then again the Greens don't deal in FACTS.

Posted by Curt, 1/04/2009 8:48:49 AM

Wetlands are important breeding areas for waterbirds. However, thirty-seven per cent of Victoria’s wetland areas have been lost, with most of the decline on private land. The impact of European settlement on Victoria’s wetlands has been severe. Some wetlands have been totally lost and many that remain have been affected by one or more degrading processes such as salinity, irrigation drainage, livestock grazing, pollution and feral species. Professor Richard Kingsford from the University of NSW said there was a 80% drop in Victoria's waterbirds, due to an over-allocation of river water to uses such as agriculture. We humans have deprived indigenous species of so much. At least surviving native waterbirds deserve a chance to return safely to Victoria and breed without being shot out of the sky in the name of "recreation"! The decision to allow a duck shooting season this year, especially in view of our recent bushfires, was totally irresponsible, illogical and reckless.

Posted by Vivienne, 5/04/2009 8:50:38 AM

What do bushfires have to do with a duck season, Vivienne?

Posted by jack , 15/04/2009 12:04:27 PM

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