Yarra Ranges state Liberal MPs Cindy McLeish and Bridget Vallence want stop to brumby cull
Hundreds of people throughout Yarra Ranges and Victoria have been contacting their local MPs to try and stop Parks Victoria’s imminent brumby cull. They want Premier Daniel Andrews to order a ceasefire.
Outer East
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Hundreds of people across Melbourne have appealed to their MPs to help stop the State Government-sanctioned wild horse cull in the high country.
Two Yarra Ranges MPs have been fielding emails, phone calls and messages from community members in the area and across the state who want something done urgently to stop the cull, which has been given the green light by the Supreme Court.
Eildon state Liberal MP Cindy McLeish said she had been inundated by people across her area concerned about the cull.
“So many people have contacted me saying this has to stop,” Ms McLeish said.
She said the high country locals were up in arms and did not want the cull.
“They dispute the numbers of horses the government is saying exist up there,” Ms McLeish said.
She said the brumby population count was done by the Government prior to the devastating bushfires, so the number of animals that exist was not known.
“There is a very large number of the Yarra Ranges community contacting us outraged and upset the government are pursing ground shooting,” she said.
She said the brumbies were an animal was part of Victoria’s cultural heritage, were related to the horses used by the Anzacs in World War I and were part of the Man from Snowy River story.
“The community is saying that don’t want the broad scale slaughter of an animals,” she said.
She said the scale of deer to wild horse was 300 to one.
“The concern is why does the Government only want to shoot the brumbies,” she said.
Evelyn state Liberal MP Bridget Vallence — who was also the Opposition education spokeswoman — said she had been inundated by people appalled and wanting to stop the cull.
“Daniel Andrews must immediately intervene and stop Parks Victoria’s plan for indiscriminate killing of Brumbies,” Ms Vallence said.
NSW-based charity Save the Brumbies founder and president Jan Carter said what was planned by Parks Victoria was cruel and unnecessary.
A Parks Victoria spokeswoman said the Court of Appeal’s decision on Friday, June 19 was a welcome result.
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“Parks Victoria has an obligation to control invasive species in Victoria’s national parks, including feral horses, which cause long-term and large-scale damage to native alpine plants and animals,” she said.
“Parks Victoria will review feral horse management plans and will commence operations at the appropriate time.”