Should duck and quail hunting be banned in Victoria?
Video clip at right: On January 30, 2024, Sky News Australia televised a report titled 'Duck hunting to remain legal in Victoria'. The report features reactions to the government's decision not to follow an Inquiry recommendation that duck and quail hunting be banned.
The Issue at a Glance
What they said...'We accept that hunting is a legitimate activity that many thousands of Victorians enjoy.'
Steve Dimopoulos, Victorian Minister for Outdoor Recreation
'The Allan Government has announced that the slaughter of native waterbirds can continue - despite the key recommendation of its own inquiry that duck shooting should end.'
Animals Australia's response to the Victorian government's decision
The issue at a glance
On January 29, 2024, the Victorian Government announced its response to the Parliamentary Inquiry into Victoria's Recreational Native Bird Hunting Arrangements.
The government announced two decisions. The first was 'Recreational duck and stubble quail hunting will continue in Victoria.' The government's second decision was that several new regulations would be introduced in 2025 to ensure that duck and quail hunting 'remains safe, sustainable and responsible.'
Supporters of duck and quail hunting were relieved. Animal welfare groups were angry and distressed. The Parliamentary Inquiry into Victoria's Recreational Native Bird Hunting Arrangements had recommended that the practice be banned, and this was the outcome most parties seemed to have expected.