This is the transcript of an adjournment speech David gave in the NSW Legislative Council on 16 June 2011. The original can be found here.
The Australian Government report entitled “Assessing Invasive Animals in Australia 2008” identified that invasive pest animals in Australia are estimated to cause losses in excess of $1 billion per year through environmental and economic damage. The report noted that invasive animals pose a threat to two-thirds of the animal species and to 83 per cent of the animal populations listed as threatened in New South Wales.
The Greens recognise the damage done to our ecosystems and endangered native fauna and flora species by deliberate and accidental introduction of exotic animals. The Greens New South Wales consider that the control of feral animals must be carried out effectively and humanely.
Sharp and Saunders, two authors of numerous Government standard operating procedures for feral animal control, state:
There are three essential requirements for a pest control technique—necessity, effectiveness and humaneness.
They recommend in general that ground shooting should be used only in a strategic manner as part of a coordinated program.
The question we need to ask ourselves is whether the Game Council New South Wales, and its practice of using recreational hunters, is able to control feral animal populations in New South Wales either effectively or humanely.
There is significant evidence that some hunters engage in cruel and unauthorised hunting practices, including hunting protected species, and subjecting animals to long and lingering deaths.
This evidence is found in a number of publications, including Environmental Crime in Australia by Bricknell, Australian Institute of Criminology, 2010; Illegal trade in fauna and flora and harms to biodiversity, a report of the Australian Institute of Criminology on 14 October 2010; and Understanding Non-compliance in the Marine Environment by Russell G. Smith and Katherine Anderson of the Australian Institute of Criminology in 2004.
In May 2011 the National Parks and Wildlife Service expressed dismay at incidents near Cowra involving reckless harm to kangaroos. In both cases the kangaroos were left with arrows impaled in their bodies.
Just one month earlier the National Parks and Wildlife Service was searching for a kangaroo in Batemans Bay that had a target arrow through its neck, described by National Parks and Wildlife Service South Coast Regional Manager Dianne Garrood as “incredibly cruel”.
In October 2010 the National Parks and Wildlife Service was investigating the illegal shooting of four wild horses south of Jindabyne. In February 2011 the National Parks and Wildlife Service issued a warning about harming wedge-tail eagles because two were found shot dead near Berry.
In August 2009 the National Parks and Wildlife Service found kangaroos south of Bateman’s Bay that had been shot, chopped up for meat and the remains dumped on the side of a track. Near Wagga Wagga the service responded to reports of kangaroos being torn apart by pig dogs.
In November 2010 the ABC reported that on the Sunshine Coast a baby koala, nicknamed Frodo, was found still clinging to life with 15 shotgun pellets lodged in its body and skull. The mother had been shot dead. As RSPCA Queensland spokesperson Michael Beatty said:
It is beyond belief that someone would shoot a baby koala. Quite senseless and horrific acts of animal cruelty have been committed in the last two months and each one seems to top the other one.
In another barbaric act, in June 2010 in Victoria authorities went to the lengths of posting a reward of $1,000 for a group of men who shot and killed a koala north-west of Melbourne. Police reported that up to 20 shots were fired at the animal, which was affectionately known as Waistcoat Bear due to a large patch of white fur on its chest.
These are just a few horrific examples of the extreme cruelty of some recreational hunters.
This is not to say that all shooters are capable of such inhumane cruelty. There are clearly some shooters who are respectful of the life they take or the actions they engage in. I am thinking particularly of farmers who shoot feral animals on their properties to protect their livelihoods.
There are also the professional hunters who are used to control feral animal populations in national parks in New South Wales and across Australia.
However, recreational hunters are historically a significant part of the problem—not the solution—in regards to feral animal control.
It is hunters who introduced foxes and rabbits into Australia for sport, and more recently have moved pigs, deer and other feral animals into many new areas. Hunters using dogs have created a problem with the wild dog population in New South Wales. Many dogs are abandoned or lost during the hunting process. As a result, packs of wild dogs now cause huge damage to the environment and agriculture.
A rapid increase in the distribution of feral pigs from the 1970s in New South Wales and Queensland has been found to be due to “deliberate release of piglets and juveniles by unscrupulous hunters”.
The Federal threat abatement plan for feral pigs notes:
Continued release of feral pigs for hunting, either in new areas or in areas that they do not currently occupy is a major threat to effective management of feral pigs and their damage.
We need to have a clear image of what recreational hunting really is. We should not say the words “recreational hunting” lightly.
These are not people who shoot and kill because they need to or because their lives or livelihoods depend upon it. They are not sports men or women who are engaging in an Olympic-recognised sport. We are talking about recreation. We are talking about people who enjoy killing and who think it is fun.
As is the case in the examples I have just given, there are people who enjoy torturing animals to death who think it is okay to kill our native animals and cruelly impale them with arrows, and who think the idea of a weekend activity is to head out and engage in blood sports with their mates in the closest State forest.
A gun culture that is based on recreation and fun is exactly what the Game Council and its parliamentary wing, the Shooters and Fishers Party, is endeavouring to promote in New South Wales.
This is a culture that The Greens and most citizens in this State reject.
I don’t trust anyone with a GUN to act reasonably and rationally, and certainly not in a national park. We may have evolved from hunters, but today there is no explanation that excuses hunting for pleasure and there is no need for hunting for food.
wow i must really be hard for you and all your other minority follows to accept that the number of law abiding shooters is growing each year. We are on the rise and we will be become a strong voting voice.
None of those apparent examples of hunters being cruelled can actually be attriuted to licenced game council conservation hunters. A hunter wouldnt use a target arrow- that incident was more likely young kids. Most wild dogs are not pig hunting dogs they are dogs that have been dumped by pet owners. i know this for a fact as i have been surrounded by wild dogs and none of them were pig dog breeds
I think you are confusing recreational hunters with criminals. I find the greens policies confusing. On one hand they want native animals saved from extinction, then they also want introduced pests to be protected as well, which would lead to inevitable extinctions. How is that conservation.
They want drug laws removed and drugs freely available even though drug use is closely associated with crimes such as thefts, assault and murder. They then want recreational hunting banned even though participants have the lowest record of any crimes and injury out of any recreational activity, due to a few criminals who were possibly on drugs.
I often hear of court cases where the defendant claims its not their fault as I was effected by drugs, I have never heard of anyone claiming they committed a crime because they were a recreational hunter. I know I would prefer a recreational hunter living next door to a recreational drug user. People who hunt and fish don’t use drugs and steal.
You reference examples of behaviour that we all find distasteful, but you fail to reference the thousands of examples everyday where this necessary task is taken care of in the most humane way possible: a bullet to the brain by a careful and skilled marksman (amateur or pro, makes no difference).
Why is that? because these unreported examples occur so frequently to not warrant a mention? Because they are not newsworthy? Because they do not suit your philosophy? Because you are ignorant of the reality and unbiased facts.
You do not understand the topic you choose to comment on. Educate yourself and earn some credibility.
I agree with chris, how hypocritical can the greens be, save the natives but also save the introduced pest species?
its either ONE or the OTHER.
Dont mud flick on the REAL RECREATIONAL HUNTERS who abide by the Hunter’s Code of Ethics, All Hunting regulations of that state, all firearms laws and requirements just because some low life criminals in a group decide to call themselves hunters while dragging our name through the mud and commiting acts of animal cruelty!
“There is significant evidence that some hunters engage in cruel and unauthorised hunting practices, including hunting protected species, and subjecting animals to long and lingering deaths”
So like you said there is evidence that SOME so called “hunters” are commiting acts of cruelty”
To those small FEW, blacklist them, shame them and name them but for the REST of the REAL HUNTERS who do the RIGHT THING, leave our name out of it, a criminal is not a RECREATIONAL HUNTER, and RECREATIONAL HUNTERS ARE NOT CRIMINALS!!!…..
I am happy to respond to posts as a general rule but I have to say that I have yet to see any link established between hunting & fishing and drugs – either positive or negative.
Linking opposition to recreational hunting on public land to opposition to the war on drugs is too long a bow – even for most in the Game Council.
You drew a long a bow trying to link criminal activities such as the killing of native animals to recreational hunting, with no evidence. Crimes with guns are regularly linked to drugs, as the illegal drug importers are often armed and can easily import guns with their drugs. I am often hearing about drug related gun crime in the media, and there is a direct link to drugs.
There is a inverse connection between licensed gun owners and crime, as to get a firearms license police checks are done, to ensure no criminal history.
Don’t allow your predigest against hunters to cause the discrimination and vilification of this law abiding group.
No, he dodged your question, Chris. There is no link. David wants to tar any of us – no matter where we hunt, no matter how responsible we might be – as animal-torturing quasi-criminals. Moreover, he wants to do it in a way which is incomprehensible to me (namely without evidence). I find this breathtaking in its audacity.
I can not see a problem with recreational hunters in state forests or even national parks as long as they are getting rid of feral animals and therefore saving our native animals.
“There is significant evidence that SOME hunters engage in cruel and unauthorised hunting practices, including hunting protected species, and subjecting animals to long and lingering deaths.”
There is also significant evidence that SOME parents do horrible things, SOME doctors are negligent, SOME drivers are hoons, SOME teachers are cruel, SOME priests, teachers,scout leaders and child care workers are peadophiles, SOME council workers/public servants are lazy, SOME retailers are rip offs, SOME tradies are shonky, SOME kids are bullies, SOME clothes dont fit, SOME religions have extremeists, SOME Greens policies are just plain stupid so, do we tar all these industries, organisations and pastimes with the same brush and ban all of these things/people/organisations/industries/occupations/pastimes/hobbies/modes of transport for the fault of a few??
C’mon mate. Have a bloody think about it!
So once again David Shoebridge is attempting to dictate the lifestyle choices of hundreds of thousands of law abiding people based on 6 incidents over 3 years that may, or may not, have been licenced recreational hunters.
Once again, hundreds of thousands of people, of good character (as proven by police checks), are labelled as incompetent and potential criminals.
Here’s a little hint for you as a pollie. Listen to the people, and listening to law-abiding people with proven good character might be a good place to start. The police have done the hard work for you by checking us out and giving us a licence.
rec·re·a·tion /ˌrɛkriˈeɪʃən/ [rek-ree-ey-shuhn]
–noun
1. refreshment by means of some pastime, agreeable exercise, or the like.
2. a pastime, diversion, exercise, or other resource affording relaxation and enjoyment.
Killing animals as an agreeable pastime is beyond my comprehension. Anyone who holds the view that it relaxing and enjoyable should NOT have a gun.
You are right, hunting is a lot more than just recreation and it is unfortunate that David and many other ignorant people think it is just recreation. If you think it is about killing animals you don’t understand hunting either. You should try understanding it before criticizing it. This same attitude causes discrimination has effected minority groups for ever. Vilifying hunters is no different to attacking homosexuals because you don’t approve of their life choices.
Dear Chris, Homosexuality is between CONSENTING adults, I dont think animals consent to being hunted down and killed.
Assuming I am ignorant could you please reply and educate me as to what hunting is about.
Vilifying any law abiding group, just because you don’t like what they do is discrimination.
This article does you no credit, deliberately conflating the acts of criminals with the lawful and well controlled conservation hunting by specially licensed, law-abiding, respectable citizens accredited by the government’s Game Council. You really need to take into account the host of migrants with traditions involving hunting and game for the table. But you insult them. Without doubt it is the recreational hunter who has the respect, skills, motivation and traditions of managing game amd p[rotecting the environment.
It is worth noting that the conservation and environmental movements were started by hunters.
Perhaps the best example is Aldo Leopold (A Sand County Almanac), who first defined the concept of a “Land Ethic”. Aldo Leopold, an enthusiastic shotgunner, was a founding member of the Wilderness society in 1935.
Ian you forgot, SOME politicians are corrupt, murderous liars, SOME give drugs to young boys to have sex with them and Some organise mass genocide and campaigns of rape, torture and ethnic cleansing but that does not mean that David is a bad person because he enjoys being a politician.
He just believes, like they did, that his moral views, prejudices, and intolerances can be justified even if he has to use lies to distort the truth. Bow hunters do not use target arrows to hunt so why refer to these people as recreational hunters. Rabbits, Pigs, and goats were introduced to provide familiar food for settlers. Yes, the fox for hunting but it was politicians who introduced the cane toad and Carp but I guess we all make mistakes, just some go on a bit more about it than others.
I enjoy recreational fishing, shooting and hunting but I no more kill animals for fun or enjoy killing than David became a politician because he loves to incite hatred within the community against minorities and yet that is exactley what he does.
Next you will be telling us that all Jews are criminals and we should, Doh……
It is appalling and alarming that a small group of people who like killing things are being allowed to water down our gun laws. The rubbish spewed by some of the below posts proves how frightening an element of our society is. If they get their way this country will by just like the USA with guns everywhere. This is not what most Australians want. If thats “picking on a minority” so be it! Most of us would be more comfortable with a recreational drug user next door to us than a recreational shooter to answer one comment below(and Im a conservative old lady!!). Sorry if you dont like it but thats how most of us just are!
Hi guys. Just thought I’d add my 20 cents worth. I’m one of the many licensed hunters out there who hunts in state forests to both source meat for the table and control feral animals. Fantastic organic meat for the table – no need to go down to Coles or Woolworths anymore. I hunt with a large calibre rifle that provides quick and humane kills – unlike some other less humane pest control methods (eg poison baits). I hunt ethically (safe, humane etc) and I’m mindful of other forest users. I do most of my hunting during the winter months when it’s rare to see anyone else out in the forests anyway. As is the case when I catch fish – I leave nothing to waste when I’m fortunate enough to take a deer. There are many aspects to hunting – getting out bush, camping, the exercise, adventure and enjoying time with mates. I also like to think that every fox that I dispatch means that i’ve protected countless native animals. Same story for feral cats. Shot on sight. One less “walking chainsaw” to destroy native wildlife. My firearms and ammunition are kept locked in a special safe at home – as required by legislation. Like other firearms owners, I have had a police background check and have no criminal record. I also work in the environmental industry and try to live “sustainably” – my way’s just a bit different to the way many inner-city environmentalists would live, that’s all…
Caz, I very much doubt that your views represent many people at all, but just to show the foolishness of your position, almost all of the gun crime in Australia is related to drugs. The drug users you prefer are providing the windfall millions of dollars that support criminal gangs, who are also responsible for importing illegal firearms and using them to protect their territories and enforce payments.
Based on some of the policies announced over the last few years, I’ve always suspected that most greens voters are frequent recreational drug users. I guess you’d be more comfortable living next to your own if this were true. But suspicion with no research or evidence to back it up is nothing more than heresay and innuendo perhaps even defamation if it was targeted at someone specifically – pretty much the same as the backbone of the article above linking animal cruelty to licenced recreational hunters.