Tuesday, 28 November 2023

Wild horse control

Wendy LOVELL (Northern Victoria) presented a petition bearing 1087 signatures:

The Petition of certain citizens of the State of Victoria draws to the attention of the Legislative Council that the Government’s policy of using lethal management on wild-living brumbies is opposed, based on flawed population counts, false claims of damage and does not recognise the Heritage value of brumbies.

Peer reviewed research by Dr David Berman published 21 June 2023 examined vegetation and soil disturbance in Bogong High Plains and the Victorian Eastern Alps, revealing that there was no impact from feral horses along 99 per cent of the length of transects in Bogong High Plains and 83 per cent of the Victorian Eastern Alps. Removal of brumbies is unlikely to make any real difference to the environment but will bring to an end an important Victorian cultural icon.

A report by independent biostatistician Claire Galea of 24 May 2023 reveals significant flaws in methodology of population surveys of wild-living brumbies. An example shows that values from surveys conducted in 2014 and 2019 were combined together as insufficient numbers were seen and population estimates done from this one single value meant that population estimates over time are fundamentally flawed. Policy based on flawed reports is flawed policy which must be overturned.

The petitioners therefore request that the Legislative Council call on the Government to immediately abandon the lethal management of wild-living brumbies, commission a population count of horses in the Alpine National Park, recognise the Heritage value of wild-living brumbies, undertake research into the benefits that brumbies bring to the Alpine National Park and develop new management plans.

Wendy LOVELL: I move:

That the petition be taken into consideration on the next day of meeting.

Motion agreed to.