A total ban on recreational duck and quail shooting is the very first recommendation from the Parliamentary Inquiry into Victoria’s Native Bird Hunting Arrangements.

The Select Committee inquiring into Victoria’s native bird hunting arrangements has handed down its final report in the Victorian Parliament this morning, with the first recommendation being a complete ban on recreational duck and quail shooting on private and public land from 2024.

This incredible recommendation was supported by a wide range of findings including continued cruelty, declining bird populations, the inability for the Game Management Authority to monitor wetlands, devastating environmental and community impacts associated with shooting, and plenty more.

The report states that even if measures to reduce wounding of birds were implemented, thousands of ducks would continue to be wounded in what is considered ‘an unacceptable animal welfare outcome.’

There are more fantastic recommendations that have been detailed in the report, too!

The report recommendations come after a 6-month inquiry process with over 10,000 submissions received – the largest ever in Victorian parliament history. The committee also conducted public hearings across Melbourne and regional Victoria, as well as attending the opening morning of this year’s recreational duck shooting season.

Importantly, the Select Committee has backed in their support for greater access to outdoor recreation, recommending that State Game Reserves be transformed into Outdoor Recreation Reserves, with updated infrastructure to support activities like boating and camping.

Other recommendations also include a ban on lead ammunition for all forms of hunting in Victoria and greater protections for Aboriginal cultural heritage sites.

Recreational duck and quail shooting was outlawed in Western Australia in 1990, New South Wales in 1995 and Queensland in 2005. The campaign in Victoria has been running for almost 40 years now, and these recommendations bring the state closer than ever before to doing the same.

Help us secure this recommendation!

We are now calling on the Victorian Government to immediately act on all of the recommendations before any arrangements are made for a 2024 season!

The parliamentary inquiry has recommended a ban on recreational duck shooting, and that’s what we’re going to push to secure.

Tell your Labor MP that ‘A total ban has been recommended and that nothing short of a total ban is what they deserve’

FIND YOUR LABOR MP HERE & TELL THEM TO ACT FAST ON THIS!

This result has been made possible by having elected representatives from the Animal Justice Party in the Victorian Parliament, supported by incredible activists, campaigners, and members like you! 

For decades Victorian wildlife and wildlife rescuers have been let down by successive Victorian governments and politicians who claimed to care for wildlife, but not enough to end the cruelty. 

The Animal Justice Party is the only political organisation in Australia that is committed to achieving animal protection. You can help us secure more places in Parliament by supporting us by recruiting another member/volunteer, or by becoming a donor today. Help Us Get Elected (links at the very top of the page)

Download and read the full report below