Victoria’s roo killing program sparks bitter backlash

Thousands of kangaroos are set to be culled across Victoria in an operation that’s been described as putting the animals at risk of being “shot to extinction”.

Wildlife advocates are demanding the Victorian government overhaul its kangaroo killing policies after a NSW inquiry called for a review of its roo cull operations.

The Australian Wildlife Protection Council president Peter Hylands said concerns about cruel killing practices and the exaggeration of roo population numbers in NSW also applied in Victoria.

About 150,000 roos will be killed in Victoria this year either through the harvesting program for pet meat or permits granted to landholders.

“We have been saying for years that the mass slaughter of kangaroos in Victoria has been falsely justified on the over-inflation of kangaroo population estimates and that the horrendous cruelty involved to these native animals is reprehensible and unacceptable,” Mr Hylands said.

Victoria’s kangaroo killing policies should be overhauled, wildlife advocates say.

The calls have been backed by the Australian Society for Kangaroos and Animal Justice Party MP Andy Meddick said the commercial killing of kangaroos was not sustainable and that population estimates had been misrepresented.

“Plans to expand the industry will put our native icon at risk of being shot to extinction,’’ he said.

“These so-called programs occur at night for a reason. While we’re sleeping, orphaned joeys are being decapitated or bludgeoned to death under approval of the government.”

“Our environment is still recovering from last year’s bushfires while applications to kill up to 2000 kangaroos a week are being considered. The hypocrisy in our treatment towards wildlife is deeply distressing for local communities.’’

About 150,000 roos will be killed in Victoria in 2021.

A Victorian government spokeswoman said to ensure the sustainability of Eastern and Western Greys, the total cull level has been set at 10 per cent of the population in each harvest zone. “This is lower than rates used in other states,” she said.

“Victoria’s kangaroo quota is set annually in accordance with the Kangaroo Harvest Management Plan 2021-2023.

“A new Kangaroo Harvest Management Plan will be developed next year, which will include public consultation and consideration of findings from the recently completed inquiry in New South Wales.”

Roos can be shot legally in Victoria through either through the harvesting program, which this year has a quota of 93,640, or the use of Authority To Control Wildlife permits for landholders if property, farmland or the environment is being damaged.

In 2020, ATCW permits were granted to kill 76,462 Western Grey, Eastern Grey and Red kangaroos.

It comes as Loddon Shire considers an application by Campaspe Meat Company to convert an old abattoir into a kangaroo pet food processing centre at Inglewood, northwest of Bendigo. The company would process up to 2000 kangaroos a week.

A review by an independent panel of Victoria’s Wildlife Act is also underway, with more than 1000 submissions made during the first round of consultation.

Originally published as Victoria’s roo killing program sparks bitter backlash