Thursday, 20 June 2024

Duck hunting

Jeff BOURMAN (Eastern Victoria) (12:06): (574) My question is for the Minister for Environment. Minister, you and your colleague the Minister for Agriculture recently signed off on a recommendation to remove the hardhead duck from the threatened species list. This decision is important for the integrity of these lists, and I congratulate you both on being pure to the evidence. The reality is that hardheads should never have been on that list in the first place and that it was a non-profit organisation – SSAA Victoria – not a government agency that did the detailed data analysis to right that wrong. Will the government now consider ordering a review into the threatened species list to see what else is on there that should not be?

Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:06): I was just googling the hardhead duck, for my interest. I will refer your question to the minister for response.

Jeff BOURMAN (Eastern Victoria) (12:07): I thank the minister. Minister, the data that was available to tell the true story about the hardhead was there because it is collated for game hunting. If people value something, it gets attention. Under the first sustainable hunting action plan back in 2016, the government developed a game management research strategy. This document was developed with independent experts and involved the broad spectrum of stakeholders in game hunting. It has never been released. Now the government has committed to a future for native bird hunting, will you review and finally release and fund the game management research strategy?

Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:07): I thank Mr Bourman for his continued interest and consistency in relation to questions in relation to duck hunting. I am sure Minister Dimopoulos will be more than happy to provide an answer and indeed any further information. I am sure that he would welcome briefing you as well.