Kangaroo permits delay ‘frustrating’

Member for Lowan Emma Kealy has fielded calls from frustrated farmers in her electorate over the issuing of tags under Victoria’s kangaroo pet food program.

The program involves using kangaroo carcasses culled as part of population-control efforts by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, as pet food.

The trial program was initially slated for two years, but was extended for six months in March.

Ms Kealy said while farmers were happy the program was continuing, many had been left frustrated by a system which required kangaroos killed by a professional shooter to be tagged and recorded.

She said an ‘inefficient and bureaucratic’ system resulted in delays for many farmers.

“Our local farmers were very relieved to hear in March that the program would continue in its current form for a further six months, but are being increasingly frustrated by lost paperwork and delays with the issuing of tags,” she said

“Local farmers and professional shooters have advised me of several cases where their application forms have been lost, requiring them to complete statutory declarations to enable their application for tags to be processed.

“They are also reporting that the Andrews Labor Government is making fewer tags available to applicants with the explanation being that the program ends in five months.

“One farmer even reported being told ‘he only needed to shoot a couple of kangaroos because

it would scare the others and they would all run away and not come back’ which is beyond ridiculous.”

Ms Kealy said kangaroo population control was a critical issue in parts of the Wimmera and not enough was being done about it.

“Farmers around some areas of Lowan continue to report kangaroo numbers in plague proportions, with precious fodder they have stored on their farms to keep their livestock alive over winter being eaten by large numbers of kangaroos,” she said.

“The delays being caused by this bureaucratic bungling in the processing of applications and issuing of tags are only exacerbating the problem.

“The Andrews government dithered for months over the program, refusing to guarantee it would be ongoing, and is now under resourcing the program in what appears to be a deliberate attempt to reduce the number of kangaroos being culled under the program.

“Labor urgently needs to improve the process for the issuing of tags to farmers and professional shooters to allow our farmers to manage this ever increasing problem.

“The sustainable management of kangaroos is critical for our region.”

More information on the kangaroo pet food trial can be found by visiting website www.wildlife.vic.gov.au/managing-wildlife/ wildlife-management-and-control-authorisations/kangaroo-pet-food-trial.