Victorian MP Jason Wood pushes for tougher national animal cruelty laws after shocking offences

TOUGH new penalties for animal cruelty could be rolled out nationally after a string of shocking and brutal offences towards native wildlife in Victoria.

TOUGH new penalties for animal cruelty could be rolled out nationally after incidents of brutality towards native wildlife in Victoria.

The Morrison Government is being urged from within to work with state and territory governments to increase penalties and fines after the killing of more than 400 wedge-tailed eagles and the targeted running down of emus by a man in a 4WD.

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The Herald Sun can also reveal New Zealand man Murray James Silvester, sentenced to 14 days’ jail and fined $2500 after pleading guilty to poisoning the eagles in Tubbut, will be spared deportation because of a legal loophole.

The penalty falls short of the mandatory 12-month term to be deported, while the character test that gives the Home Affairs Department the power to deport those in Australia on visas does not cover acts of animal cruelty.

The remains of some of the 400 wedge-tailed eagles killed in East Gippsland.

A Cowangie man will face court next month on charges including aggravated cruelty to an animal, as well as several traffic-related offences, after filming himself mowing down a mob of emus in his vehicle.

Victorian MP Jason Wood will urge federal Environment Minister Melissa Price to work with states and territories to develop consistent laws nationally, increasing the maximum jail time to up to seven years for animal cruelty, particularly against protected wildlife.

A Cowangie man has been charged with deliberately running over emus in his ute. Picture: Facebook

He said bringing penalties in line with public expectations would also likely give police access to phone intercepts and listening devices to assist with investigation into acts of cruelty and wildlife smuggling.

“Cruelty to all animals is unacceptable but when it’s iconic wildlife it is just totally reprehensible,” Mr Wood said.

Offences for killing native wildlife differ greatly across the states and territories, from a $7928.50 fine and/or six months imprisonment in Victoria, one year in the Northern Territory and Queensland, to a $50,000 fine in Western Australia.

Environmental Justice Australia chief executive Brendan Sydes has also called for state governments to revise environmental laws, conceding the 14-day sentence and fine were “relatively light” despite it being the first time a person has been jailed for such an ­offence.

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