Tag Archives: Emma Kealy

Kangaroo culling trial: call for extension

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Member for Lowan Emma Kealy has called on the state government to extend a kangaroo culling trial to West Wimmera Shire.

The government introduced a two-year trial to cull kangaroos for pet food in 2014.

A State Government trial involving Ararat, Horsham, Northern Grampians, Yarriambiack, Southern Grampians and Pyrenees local government areas is due to conclude in June.

Ms Kealy wants to see the program introduced permanently or the trial extended to include West Wimmera Shire. “It’s created 12 jobs at the Hamilton abattoirs, where they are processing the meat for pet food,” she said.

Ms Kealy wants to make it permanently open season.  “Culling” should be for old, or sick, animals.  This would not be a “cull”, but be a slaughter.  It would be all out war against our Australian animal icon.

The trial had only occurred in areas where kangaroos were in plague proportions.   Since the start of these trials the number of permits has increased dramatically, from 30,000 per year, to 70,000 and now 100,000, probably in an effort to justify the slaughter.
Ms Kealy said while there were environmental concerns about the issue, the trial had only occurred in areas where kangaroos were in “plague proportions”.

To soften her killing plans, Ms Kealy said shooters were trained to kill kangaroos with a single shot to the head to make the process as humane as possible.  That’s almost impossible, due to the size of the head, and the accuracy needed!

Eastern_grey_kangaroo_dec07_02

(image: Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Macropus giganteus, in the wild. Taken in Swifts Creek, Victoria in December 2007)

AWPC member, Šime Validžić, says that:

…kangaroos are not in plague proportions but their populations are self-regulating. They are not “the environment” to be “managed” but native, sentient beings who have the right to live in their native homeland. It is humans who are spreading into the habitats of native species.  Australia has the worst record in the world when it comes to species extinctions and it is the result of genocide against indigenous peoples. Since I did not wish to be part of such a country, having emigrated to Victoria, Australia with my parents in 1970, I returned to my country of origin, Croatia, in 1992 and encourage others to do the same. I never saw a kangaroo in the wild even though I travelled a lot and did some farm work, picking potatoes and peas.

POLL: Should kangaroos be culled in the Wimmera for pet food?

 

 

 

 

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West Wimmera- “growing” kangaroo numbers a threat to “public safety”

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Dear Councillors,

I am concerned about the report that West Wimmera Shire councillors believe an increased kangaroo population is becoming a public safety issue.  Councillors are floating the idea of a culling program.

Surely kangaroos are in danger of traffic?  With increasing numbers of people and trucks on our roads, it’s horrendous to travel on our country roads and see dead wildlife – many of them kangaroos.  Our human population is set to soar to 10 million by mid century, and the carnage with wildlife can only increase with more traffic.

Kangaroos are protected native animals.  The idea of a “cull” is repugnant, as if they were unwanted feral species with no control over their numbers?  On the contrary, it’s believe that “culling” destroys mob dynamics and gives more opportunities for younger males to mate, and thus increase breeding pairs!   It’s simply believed that they keep breeding with no demographic limits?

Surely there’s a holistic and humane way to control motor accidents, that’s not passing the “blame” onto our nation’s iconic animals, and have them killed – for pet food?   There needs to be more research done on deterring kangaroos away from roads, with safe and non-lethal methods.  There’s smells, noises, sights and wildlife corridors – along with fences, tunnels and overpasses –  and of course encouraging the public to SLOW DOWN in wildlife-dense areas!

Please, could you consult with wildlife experts, and VicRoads, on non-lethal and humane ways of avoiding accidents with kangaroos on our roads, and considering the balance that kangaroos are in danger too – not just humans.

Thank you
Vivienne Ortega
Australian Wildlife Protection Council,

kangaroosign1

In a previous article on our web-site, Kangaroo culling trial: call for extension , Member for Lowan Emma Kealy has called on the state government to extend a kangaroo culling trial to West Wimmera Shire.

The government introduced a two-year trial to cull kangaroos for pet food in 2014.

A State Government trial involving Ararat, Horsham, Northern Grampians, Yarriambiack, Southern Grampians and Pyrenees local government areas is due to conclude in June.

Ms Kealy wants to see the program introduced permanently or the trial extended to include West Wimmera Shire. “It’s created 12 jobs at the Hamilton abattoirs, where they are processing the meat for pet food,” she said.

Ms Kealy wants to make it permanently open season.  “Culling” should be for old, or sick, animals.  This would not be a “cull”, but be a slaughter.  It would be all out war against our Australian animal icon.

The trial had only occurred in areas where kangaroos were in plague proportions.   Since the start of these trials the number of permits has increased dramatically, from 30,000 per year, to 70,000 and now 100,000, probably in an effort to justify the slaughter.
Ms Kealy said while there were environmental concerns about the issue, the trial had only occurred in areas where kangaroos were in “plague proportions”.

 We look forward to a response from the West Wimmera Council!

A survey on the Wimmera Mail-Times showed NO, that most people have NOT noticed increasing numbers of kangaroo!

(featured image: Roadkilled kangaroo from South Morang in northern Melbourne, Australia)

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