I wish to clarify some important points. The Game Management Authority and Field and Game Australia are desperately pulling at straws to pressure the Victorian Government into declaring a duck shooting season this year.
Furthermore the above mentioned organisations have the absolute temerity to state that they would be assisting struggling regional towns by bringing money into these should a season go ahead.
This would be laughable if the lives of hundreds of birds at stake were not in the ‘firing line’ (pun intended).
There is absolutely no water anywhere for waterbird species.
Some bird species are forced into coming further into regional towns to look for food as their wetland habitats have completely dried out and some have ceased to exist due to the «« millennial »» drought which shows no sign of abating any time soon. If ever.
State Member for Eastern Victoria Jeff Bourman must be living in a bubble of non-reality.
He says he "...believes the delay will impact employers’ ability to cover leave for those who, upon the announcement of a season, would usually take time off to be involved in the harvesting of game birds".
Any employer who supports the shameful cruelty of shooting at beautiful native waterbird species with weapons purely designed to kill also have blood on their hands as far as I'm concerned.
Time and time again, year after year, protected species such as freckled duck, blue-billed duck, musk duck and the blue-winged shoveler are wounded and killed by those who support this cowardly pastime.
Not to mention non-duck species such as Eurasian coot, welcome swallows, black swans, pelicans, hawks and kites. «« et al. »»
In the article as quoted: "Field and Game Australia chief executive Dean O'Hara said recreational game bird hunting was a fine Australian example of conservation through sustainable use of wildlife.”
Was this individual born in the early 1900s? This is a fine example of the ‘big white game hunter’ mentality that has absolutely no place in these enlightened times.
In the last paragraph Mr O'Hara states: "It is not the role or the responsibility of the urbanised community to reject an influx of much-needed money into a rural community.”
What an absolute joke. He may be surprised to know that there is a huge regional public against duck shooting, not just those who live in ‘urbanised communities'.