Right: Protesters and rescuers have become part of the duck season scenery in Victoria, one the last hold-out states still allowing a duck season
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Duck and quail hunting should not be banned in Victoria
1. Duck hunting is a traditional recreation enjoyed by hunters and their families.Supporters of recreational duck and quail hunting argue that these activities are important events in the lives of hunters and their families. They claim that they are time-honoured practices that have typically been passed on through generations, allowing valuable skills to be taught and supplying social and heath benefits. It has also been noted that there are some Indigenous people and migrant groups for whom these activities are particularly culturally important.
The personal, social, and family significance of duck and quail hunting was stressed in many of the submissions made to the Parliamentary Inquiry into Victoria's Recreational Native Bird Hunting Arrangements. In submission no. 6,969, Jo Howes noted, 'Hunting is labeled as a sport, yet to me it's a lifestyle...Hunting is my culture. My family are 6th generation farmers, and to cease duck hunting would impact our farm's economy, ecosystem, and livelihood severely, not to mention a decline in mental health wellbeing.'
Pap Arthur wrote in his submission, 'I hunt to eat as I was taught by my father and his father before him, now I have a son and daughter that I'm teaching with my father to do the same. Organic, clean of added chemicals, and we only take what we need.' Related observations were made by Anthony Gommers in submission no. 9,999. He noted, 'I was fortunate to be introduced to duck hunting by my father at the age of ten. For the last 15 years I have been proud to enjoy the recreational pursuit, and the company that comes with it. Fellow duck hunters have always been welcoming, and keen to share stories, knowledge and occasionally some of their harvest around a campfire, creating some of my favorite memories with my father with hopefully many more to come.' The health and psychological benefits of duck and quail hunting are stressed by many supporters. Jo Howes' submission further noted, 'It's how I de-stress and where I meditate on how lucky we are to be free in this beautiful country Australia. Hunting is how I stay physically fit. It's my main motivation to exercise.'
Nick Zema made similar points in his submission. He wrote, 'Hunting provides an opportunity for some to escape the hustle and bustle of city life and connect with nature. The serene and peaceful environment is a stress-relieving atmosphere that many people find soothing. It allows for an opportunity to decompress from everyday stressors and reset the mind. Hunting also encourages physical fitness, as it requires stamina and strength to trek through wetlands and carry equipment.' Supporters of duck and quail hunting also note that these activities are an important part of the cultural legacy of Indigenous Victorians. Though not all support duck and quail hunting, there are many Indigenous people who do and who made submissions to the Parliamentary Inquiry into Victoria's Recreational Native Bird Hunting Arrangements. Dr Nathan Vale wrote, 'My people have been harvesting birds for 1000's of years. It's part of my culture. It brings friends and family closer together. It builds strong relationships with all people in Australia regardless of race.'
Many migrants to Victoria feel similarly. The activity allows them to perpetuate their particular cultural traditions and increase their social connections. Huseyin Alpozgen, President of the Australian Cypriot Sporting Shooters Association, wrote in his submission to the Inquiry, 'My story begins in 1984 when ... my family journey led us to Australia, the land of opportunity with vast land and hunting opportunities. I am currently 68 years old and have been hunting with my father and many friends since I could walk...' Mr Alpozgen argues that those who oppose duck hunting want to impose their cultural values on others. 'They want us to become a robotic society, not to do outdoor activities, not to eat meat. Live in the city and drink coffee and eat lettuce.' The Victorian Government has acknowledged these arguments, stating 'Recreational duck and quail hunting is a legitimate activity, and it matters to thousands of Victorians who love the great outdoors.'
Steve Dimopoulos, the Outdoor Recreation Minister, has added, 'This is a legitimate activity that has existed on these lands for thousands of years and at least, in terms of white Australia, from 1860.' 2. Duck hunting is already regulated to minimise animal suffering and new regulations will be put in place to further reduce animal distress
Supporters of duck and quail hunting claim there are longstanding measures in place to ensure that birds do not suffer avoidable pain. The Victorian government has also promised that as of 2015 additional steps will be taken to further reduce animal suffering.
Victoria's Game Management Authority (GMA) currently offers a range of advice and practical support to reduce the likelihood of birds being wounded rather than killed outright. The GMA advises hunters to practise regularly using clay target shooting. They recommend hunters know the most appropriate ammunition and their maximum shooting range. For most hunters this is 30 metres. The GMA provides advice (including videos) on what are the best shots to take and how to increase the likelihood that a hunter will be able to readily retrieve a downed bird. They recommend the use of decoys and bird calls and give advice on where to place decoys.
In Victoria, hunters can only use a shotgun to hunt ducks that does not exceed 12 gauge or have more than two barrels. This is to help ensure a humane kill. Only non-toxic shot can be used, and hunters caught using or possessing lead shot run the risk of fines, firearms seizure, and court. This is to help prevent lead shot continuing to pollute waterways.
The regulations also require that once a bird is downed, a hunter must focus on that bird only and make all reasonable efforts to retrieve it immediately. S/he must not continue to shoot at other birds. There are a variety of techniques suggested for humanely killing wounded birds. As of 2025, the Victorian Government will impose harsher restrictions to ensure that existing regulations are followed by hunters. They are also introducing some additional requirements intended to reduce the suffering of hunted wildlife. These changes will include improving hunters' knowledge and skill by making education and training mandatory. Currently the training available does not have to be undertaken by hunters. From 2025, those applying for a hunting licence will be required to successfully complete training. The ban on the use of lead shot for duck hunting will be extended to include quail hunting as well. There will also be stricter enforcement of hunting regulations and harsher penalties will be applied to those found to have not followed the regulations.
The new Waterfowl Wounding Reduction Action Plan will also be implemented to reduce the risk of wounding. This plan has been developed by government agencies, academics, animal welfare groups and hunters to address and reduce levels of wounding in a measurable, evidence-based way. The Waterfowl Wounding Reduction Action Plan mandates shooting tests for bird hunters as part of the licensing process. The tests will require shooters to hit a minimum number of clay targets in a practical test designed to simulate ducks in flight. They may also have to show they can estimate ranges. Once the regulations are in place, all new licence applicants will have to pass the proficiency test and existing hunting licence holders will be encouraged to do the test.
The Government will work with hunting groups, animal welfare groups, Traditional Owners and the Game Management Authority in implementing these changes. Victoria's hunting regulations will be updated by late 2024. There will be a public consultation phase for this regulatory update.
As one of the components of their new training, duck and game hunters will have to demonstrate greater recognition of Traditional Owners' knowledge of hunting and land management practices. This is part of the Victorian Government's Sustainable Hunting Action Plan which involves all hunting practised across the state. The government recognises the knowledge of Traditional Owners and wants to partner with them in implementing hunting management strategies. Indigenous experts will be called on to help develop the training and education program all new hunters will have to undertake before gaining a hunting licence.
3. Duck hunting is regulated to safeguard bird population numbers and protect endangered species
Supporters of duck hunting argue that it does not pose a significant threat to overall bird populations and that measures have been put in place to safeguard endangered species.
Though it is acknowledged that there has been an overall decline in bird numbers across Victoria, supporters of duck hunting claim that their sport has made no significant contribution to this trend. Professor Richard Kingsford, director of the Centre for Ecosystem Science at the University of New South Wales, says his research showed hunting had a small negative impact. He claims, 'It was a lot smaller than the effect of the loss of habitat...Over the last 40 years we have lost a lot of waterbird habitat due to the building of dams and diversion of water for irrigation and development of flood plains.'
Nationals Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland has stated, 'Any ban on duck and quail hunting introduced in Victoria would have been based on emotion and political ideology, not sound science. During the inquiry, the committee heard in evidence that the greatest threat to duck populations is habitat decline, not hunting.' Supporters of duck hunting note that specific management provisions are put in place each season to ensure bird populations are not put at risk. The Victorian Game Management Authority states, 'Recreational duck hunting in Victoria is managed sustainably, with the bag limits and season dates set to ensure that hunting does not threaten the conservation status of game duck species. Duck seasons arrangements may change from time to time; and hunters should always check current regulations, season dates, and bag limits. Some game species may be protected from hunting at particular times, such as during drought, or bag limits may be changed in response to population numbers and/or environmental conditions.'
Starting from 2025, a new surveying process will be put in place to give greater security that estimations of bird numbers are accurate. This is the Adaptive Harvest Management process which is already widely used in other parts of the world. In 2019, an expert panel examined the Adaptive Harvest Management process and concluded it offered 'key benefits by reducing uncertainties for hunters and other stakeholders, and that the suggested population monitoring and modelling framework is theoretically sound and appropriate.' Supporters of duck and quail hunting also stress that measures are currently in place to help prevent hunters shooting threatened species. Hunters are required to pass a Waterfowl Identification Test (WIT) before being permitted to hunt ducks. This ensures that all licensed duck hunters can identify game and non-game waterbirds while in the field.
In Victoria, the test consists of 22 multiple-choice questions. The test is viewed as a video, and applicants have 20 minutes to complete all 22 multiple-choice questions. A species of waterfowl is viewed for approximately five seconds and hunters must select the correct waterbird species and its hunting status before moving to the next question. A score of 85 percent or greater will be required to obtain a pass (that is, 57 out of 66), provided that the applicant also correctly identifies all non-game species. All hunters must leave a fully-feathered wing on any harvested duck until immediately prior to cooking or until the duck has been taken to the person's ordinary place of residence. This allows Authorised Officers to identify all waterfowl in a hunter's possession. 4. Duck hunters assist in environment conservation and the preservation of bird populations.
Supporters of duck and quail hunting claim that the work these hunters do to conserve the environments needed for waterfowl to thrive is of great benefit to the survival of many species.
Supporters of duck hunting often claim that hunters help to preserve total waterfowl populations because of their efforts conserving wetlands. Jade Benham, Nationals MP for Mildura, has stated, 'Trained and licensed harvesters have a positive effect on conserving and restoring wetland habitats and an extensive Liberals and Nationals minority report [from the Inquiry] recommended the continuation of bird harvesting in Victoria in a safe, responsible and sustainable way.'
Similarly, Annabelle Cleeland, Nationals Member for Euroa, has argued that the decision to back away from a duck and quail hunting ban advantages birdlife. She explained, 'I received hundreds of emails during the inquiry into duck hunting and it was clear the commitment that these hunters have to upholding sustainable and ethical principles. If hunters continue to revive and care for our wetlands as they have done, then our waterfowl will have habitat to breed and flourish into the future.' Many the pro-hunting submissions made to the Parliamentary Inquiry into Victoria's Recreational Native Bird Hunting Arrangements detailed the wetland conservation work that hunters have performed for many years. The Rushworth Field and Game Club stated in its submission, 'We are passionate about wetland management; we are also advocating for water allocations in certain wetlands where we believe the benefits to all native bird species to be enormous. Further evidence of our passion includes a very successful bird box and hen house, construction, and installation program this season. In conjunction with Shepparton Field and Game (SFG), [Rushford Field and Game] removed 20 old bird boxes and replaced with 50 new bird boxes. The RFG and SFG also constructed and installed 50 hen houses. The RFG have documented over 400 successful native bird hatchlings from the bird boxes and hen houses that were installed. This does not include the SFG hatchings. On many occasions the hen houses and bird boxes were utilised by separate breeding pairs.'
In an individual submission made to the Parliamentary Inquiry into Victoria's Recreational Native Bird Hunting Arrangements, Zorra Parmigiani noted, 'Duck hunters and hunters in general are conservationists; they have a vested interest in preserving wild places to the benefit of all wildlife and the population in general. Duck hunters have pioneered nesting boxes for a variety of duck species and thousands of those boxes have been erected and serviced throughout the state by hunter volunteers. Duck hunters have put time, money, equipment and effort into water management, funding water control structures, monitoring water levels, access roads, boat ramps, tree planting, feral animal eradication and the multitude of issues that go hand in hand with land management. Duck hunters have purchased and rehabilitated wetlands again for the benefit of all wildlife and the rest of the population, a prime example of this is the Heart Wetland project near Sale. The most important role that duck hunters play is that of guardian, they are the people who frequent the wetlands, they are often the first to report unwanted occurrences and changes in the environment, they fight for the preservation of wetlands.'
The Parliamentary Inquiry into Victoria's Recreational Native Bird Hunting Arrangements offered the following summary statement of the wetland conservation and species management work performed by game hunters either as individuals or as part of clubs. It stated, 'Many stakeholders described the conservation and wetlands restoration work undertaken and funded by hunting conservation groups, most of whom were volunteers. They noted that the projects are funded by volunteers and other donations. Key examples of key environmental works undertaken by volunteers included wetlands conservation, installation of nesting boxes, feral species pest management programs, weed species removal and tree planting.'
5. Duck and quail hunting are a boost to the Victorian economy.
Those who favour duck and quail hunting note the economic benefits these activities bring to regional and metropolitan economies.
Duck and quail hunting are said to boost rural and metropolitan economies through the purchase of hunting equipment and other supplies during the several months of the hunting season. A report released in June 2020 by the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions titled 'Economic contribution of recreational hunting in Victoria' found that recreational hunting contributed some $356 million per year to the Victorian economy and was responsible for generating 3,138 jobs.
The Victorian Minister for Outdoor Recreation, Steve Dimopoulos, has noted that duck hunting specifically contributes about $65 million annually to the state's economy, which, he claimed, benefits local communities across regional Victoria. Approximately 49 percent of hunters surveyed in 2019 as part of a report on the economic contribution of recreational hunters to the Victorian economy live in Greater Melbourne and 51 percent live in regional Victoria and interstate.
This means that through purchasing camping equipment, protective clothing, guns and ammunition, hunters are likely to contribute to the economies of their home locations and (if travelling to Victorian wetlands) the regional areas they visit. Their food and accommodation are likely to be a benefit primarily to the areas where they hunt. The recent 'Inquiry into Victoria's recreational native bird hunting arrangements' noted that most submissions from hunters stressed the many thousands of dollars they deliberately spent in wetland communities as part of their commitment to the regions where they hunted. Many submissions stressed the economic benefits that duck hunting offers for regional and metropolitan economies. In a submission made to the Parliamentary Inquiry into Victoria's Recreational Native Bird Hunting Arrangements, Mr Pedro Petropoulos noted through personal observation that both Victorian country towns and the local gun shops of metropolitan hunters suffered a loss of trade when hunting seasons were curtailed.
In a pro-hunting submission to the Inquiry, hunter Jacob Wade itemized some of what he spent in rural towns while hunting. He wrote, 'Take into account that I would spend around $250 per trip on fuel, food, etc. and I would do at least 10-15 trips a year, you are looking at a further three thousand dollars injected into the economy and that is just me!' The Inquiry also noted that duck and quail hunting are supported by many regional councilors. As an example, it cited Cr Ian Bye, Mayor of Wellington Shire Council, who stated, 'In Wellington we receive a significant community benefit from duck hunting each year, in the amount of around $3.5 million per year. Even in the reduced season the spending was as much, talking to local suppliers, as it was in a normal season, so we still had quite a lot of people that were participating. Hunters travelling to our region provide significant economic advantages via accommodation, purchase of fuel and hunting supplies and additional ad hoc purchases in small communities closest to their hunting area.'
The Inquiry was uncertain about the capacity of nature-based tourism to replace the economic investment that hunters make in regional economies. Currently, given the dampening effect that the duck hunting season appears to have on other forms of tourism in wetland areas, it is not possible to say the extent to which nature tourism would substitute for the economic boost supplied by hunters. In addition, some submissions to the Inquiry stated that certain nature-based tourism locations like Winton Wetlands are yet to be economically sustainable without significant Victorian Government grants.