Indigenous hunters left without access to tucker

CAPE York traditional hunters have been left hanging by new laws that have made them unable to feed their families.

Queensland Health last week decreed that gun shops were non-essential businesses but later retracted the ruling with exemptions that included, but were not limited to, certain primary producers and pest eradicators.

Not included in the exemptions, unlike in Western Australia, were Aboriginal people “entitled to exercise a native title right to hunt”.

The omission has concerned Cape York residents in Kowanyama, many of whom have isolated out bush to avoid exposure to the novel coronavirus.

“There is a lot of fear,” Ranger supervisor Scott Olds said.

“The residents are scared – if coronavirus turns up, they think it will be death riding a white horse.”

The families, who have prepared to leave the community, have now found themselves without an essential survival tool.

“The first thing the boys have asked me is ‘how are we going to hunt for food’,” Mr Olds said.

“We have families because of coronavirus pushing out to live off their homelands.

“They’ll take black tea, some flour and bits and pieces.

“Because they are not feral shooters or primary producers, what do they do?”

Mr Olds said indigenous families often hunted wild game as their primary source of protein.

“These guys eat a lot of bush tucker,” he said.

“Wallabies, pigs, beasts, fish and geese.

“They really live off the land.”

Member for Hill Shane Knuth said Queensland Health should expand the list of exemptions.

“We have had primary producers who have gone in to purchase ammunition, with an occupational licence, but have been told that they do not qualify according to Queensland Health’s so-called list of exemptions,” Mr Knuth said.

The Shooters’ Union described the Queensland Health exemptions as “smoke and mirrors”.

Queensland Health and Member for Cook Cynthia Lui have been asked for comment on the issue.