Duck-hunting limits will curb traditional, cultural lifestyle

Duck hunters have lost faith in the Game Management Authority, writes Mark Little.

A hunter with his dog on the first day of Victoria’s duck hunting season last year. Hunting wild game is a tradition in many lands around the globe. Picture: Peter Ristevski

VICTORIA’S 26,000 licensed, tested, ethical and law-abiding duck-hunters have put their faith in the Game Management Authority since its inception.

They have done this in a spirit of collaboration, goodwill and trust that the GMA, as an independent, statutory body, free from political and bureaucratic interference, will deliver sustainability, accountability and as stated in the regulations, promote access to hunting opportunities.

Duck hunters no longer have the confidence in the GMA to set game seasons in a scientific, accountable, holistic and unbiased manner

All surveys show hunters (as game licence payers they must be considered the key stakeholders), respect and admire the attitude, efforts and expertise of GMA field staff, (although believe significant improvement is needed with protester management).

The announcement last month of a significantly reduced duck season demonstrates a complete and unacceptable disregard for the views and efforts of Victorian hunters, their organisations, allied businesses and rural communities, yet alone the negative impact on the social and emotional wellbeing of hunters and their families, who are having their critical traditional and cultural lifestyle stolen from them by a small but stealthy pack of career bureaucrats, who have discriminated against us since the inception of the GMA. I believe that this announcement is the ‘Straw that Broke the Camel’s Back’.

I am proudly of Aboriginal heritage, with a family tradition of hunting and eating wild game dating back 40,000 plus years.

Most of my hunting mates’ families have a tradition of hunting wild game for less than 200 years in this country, but many centuries in their original homelands.

What right does this pathetic excuse for an independent statutory body have to inflict their biased and unscientific views on Victorian citizens?

This year, I will be able to hunt three Saturday mornings and harvest a total of six ducks for the season, despite countless thousands of ducks in my area.

How far will this go in feeding my family and Aboriginal Elders in my community with our chosen traditional food?

Let the GMA provide evidence that duck hunting has a significant negative impact on duck abundance and all Victorian hunters will join with them to conserve the species.

It is unlikely that they will ever be able to do this in an independent scientific review as both the CSIRO and Australia’s eminent game scientists have already stated in scientific reports that duck hunting has no significant impact on duck numbers.

Victorian duck hunters are rightly dismayed, disappointed, and angry at the announcement.

To the small but vocal crowd of anti-hunting extremists from the Animal Justice Party, Animal Liberation etc, I ask what right do they have to impose their ideology on us duck hunters?

Agriculture Minister, Mary-Anne Thomas must review the ridiculous, unscientific and discriminatory restrictions upon duck season, communicate with hunters and their organisations to consider their views and find an alternate, acceptable option to the GMA.

• Mark Little is a duck hunter from central Victoria