Greater Protection For Wildlife

Victorian wildlife laws don’t truly protect the native animals we all love. Native animals are still allowed to be shot, poisoned and trapped. Our solutions allow people and wildlife to co-exist and ensure stronger penalties when the rules are broken.

The Problem

Victoria’s wildlife laws are broken. Under existing legislation, there are loopholes and exemptions for native animals to be trapped, shot, poisoned, driven out of their natural habitat or killed in other inhumane ways. 

The Victorian Government hands out tens of thousands of Authority to Control Wildlife (ATCW) permits for wildlife to be destroyed for the most minor of inconveniences - such as noise, eating fruit from trees or digging. Under the ATCW program, a range of animals including wombats, wallabies, silvereyes, possums, rosellas and swans are killed each year.

The Victorian Government authorises the commercial slaughter of our native icon, the kangaroo. Not only does this industry cause immense suffering, gruesome injuries and leave joeys orphaned - it is disturbing the lives of residents in regional Victorian communities.

It is Victoria’s volunteer wildlife rescuers and carers who clean up the government’s mess. They rehabilitate the victims of this broken system with little to no financial support from the government.

The Solution

Humans and wildlife can, and should, coexist in harmony. The Animal Justice Party will abolish the ATCW permit system, while investing in low-cost, non-lethal and humane methods of population control that allow humans and wildlife to co-exist. 

We will end Victoria’s commercial slaughter program, giving kangaroos and joeys the full protection they deserve. As part of this process, we will implement exclusion zones around registered wildlife shelters and Land for Wildlife properties - because no wildlife carer should have to deal with the stress of having an animal they rehabilitated be released only to be shot for pet food.

We will recognise and support Victoria’s wildlife heroes - the rescuers, carers and shelters who use their own time and resources to keep our roads, public spaces and wildlife safe. We will ensure they are fairly reimbursed for their commitment, and implement a structured system to support their operational expenses.

We are committed to preventing wildlife from needing rescue in the first place, by ensuring animals are considered in planning decisions as a priority. By building infrastructure on roads such as virtual fencing and wildlife underpasses, we will reduce death by road strike - protecting both people and animals.

We will advocate for banning native forest logging and expanding native reserves and national parks to protect habitat. Government Departments must properly regulate the logging industry in Victoria and must protect threatened species.

Importantly, we will fix Victoria’s broken wildlife protection laws and ensure there are real penalties that deter harm and cruelty.

Our Focus

• Fix Victoria’s inadequate wildlife laws
• Abolish the ATCW permit system
• An immediate halt on native forest logging
• End commercial kangaroo slaughter
• Provide funding and research for humane population control methods
• Recognise and support the work of volunteer wildlife carers