Victoria’s Kangaroo Harvest Management Plan (KHMP) is a cleverly written document that tries to convince the reader that kangaroos are abundant throughout the state, to such an extent that the government is going to do everyone a favour by ‘managing’ the populations to help rid farmers of these ‘pesky’ animals and to create jobs and income for the state at the same time. 

In reality, it is a plan to capitalise on our unique keystone species by using questionable data to justify a large-scale slaughter for the financial benefit of a select few. Meanwhile, residents across Victoria are telling us that kangaroo populations are declining at an alarming rate, and they are terrified of shooters who come without warning and leave behind beloved local kangaroos as a pile of stinking heads, guts and paws near local homes and businesses.

Furthermore, it is standard practice for kangaroo shooters to cruelly bash pouch joeys to death whilst dependent at-foot joeys are regularly left to slowly perish without maternal care. Inevitably there are mis-shot adults who also escape to suffer a slow death from their wounds. This brutality inherent in the kangaroo industry would horrify and repulse most Victorians, but it is deliberately shrouded in secrecy and many are unaware it exists.

Kangaroos are counting on you to be their voice!

This consultation is your chance to speak up for our macropod friends and tell the government that kangaroos need protection, not ‘management’. If possible, please take the time to read the full KHMP document, or you can use our Submission Guide to assist you in responding to the survey. 

The consultation closes on Tuesday, 11th July 2023. For more information, and to download the Kangaroo Harvest Management Plan, go to https://engage.vic.gov.au/download/document/31187 or click on the downloadable link at the bottom of the page. If you have any queries, please contact Nat Kopas at [email protected]

Consultation Details

Seven objectives are described in the Plan: 

1. Ensure that commercial kangaroo harvesting in Victoria is ecologically sustainable. 
2. Ensure that commercial kangaroo harvesting in Victoria is humane and animal welfare is protected.
3. Ensure that commercial kangaroo harvesting and processing activities are appropriately regulated. 
4. Effectively monitor and enforce compliance.
5. Facilitate adaptive management and research.
6. Maintain openness, accountability and transparency.
7. Work with Traditional Owners to provide opportunities for participation.

The consultation consists of (the same) 5 questions about each of these objectives. 3 of the questions are a ‘Yes/No’ tick box and 2 of the questions allow you to make comments. This guide has a number of suggestions for each of these questions to give you some ideas about points you might like to mention. You can make one or multiple points for each question, and you can choose to only answer one, or some, or all. 

Unfortunately, there is NO option to just write a paragraph or a page discussing why you are opposed to the commercial killing industry. 

The focus of the consultation is solely on the KHMP, they are not considering the cruel Authority to Control Wildlife permit system at all, so focusing your comments on the horrors of the commercial kangaroo killing industry, rather than broadly voicing your opposition to ALL kangaroo killing will have more impact. 

To make a submission, go to https://engage.vic.gov.au/kangaroo-harvesting-management-review

1. Scroll down to the ‘Participate’ tab and click ‘start survey’
2. It first asks you to ‘rank’ the importance of the 7 objectives. We suggest skipping this section as it implies tacit agreement with these objectives which exist only to support the continued commercial exploitation of kangaroos. However, you can of course fill it in as you prefer.
3. The survey will then ask you to select if you would like to complete section 1, section 2 or both. Please tick both.
4. Section 1: there are two general questions regarding the KHMP, then you can either just click the 3 checkboxes for each objective and move on, or give written feedback on some or each objective in the space provided.
5. Section 2: has a tick box and two more generic questions. 
6. After answering, you will be asked to indicate your ‘area of interest’. 
7. You will also need to include your name, address and email contact. 
8. And answer the privacy/collection question about whether you are willing for your answers to be published with your name attached or not. This depends entirely on your personal preferences.

Special Meeting - Tuesday 4th July 

Our Advocacy Manager, Natalie Kopas, and Victoria Kangaroo Alliance's Alyssa Wormald hosted a special online meeting to assist Animal Justice Party members and supporters with making submissions to the Kangaroo Harvest Management Plan Review. You can now watch it here. 

Writing Workshop - Saturday 8th July 

Led by local organiser, Katrina Larsen, we are getting local kangaroo advocates together to help each other write their submissions. This will be the AJP Mornington Peninsula's third submission writing session this year at the Mornington Library. The first two were for the duck shooting inquiry and for live sheep export.

• When: Saturday, July 8th
• Time: 9:00 am to 1:00 pm (feel free to come any time)
• Where: Mornington Library, Vancouver St, Mornington
• Contact: Katrina Larsen, [email protected]
• More info - click here for FB event