Hunters: Our Parks and Animals are not Fair Game
UpdateYesterday's well-attended rally outside Parliament House brought together environment and animal welfare groups, the public sector union, NPWS rangers, the Greens and a range of local community groups in opposition to any NSW Government deal with the Shooters Party over hunting in national parks.
Greens MP Lee Rhiannon told the rally the Bill is still on the Notice Paper and could come up as early as this Thursday (29/10) for debate.
It is apparent that the State Government isn't strongly condemning this Bill - quite the contrary - with recent worrying reports indicating that government figures are negotiating with the Shooters to allow recreational hunters access to some national parks. The recent article Government deal to open national parks to shooters by Erik Jensen (SMH, 21/10/2009) confirms our concerns about continued NSW Government negotiations with the Shooters' Party and the potential risk of a deal granting some form of hunting in our National Parks.
The reopening of talks between the State Government and the Shooters' Party is a dangerous development. The NSW Government must not make a backroom deal that sells out our precious National Parks and wildlife for its own political gain. The stakes are too high. We must not allow hunting in all our National Parks, not just those close enough to Sydney to be on the Government's radar.
Campaign against the Shooters Billsupported by the Parks and Native Animal Protection Coalition Show your support
Send Premier Nathan Rees, Environment Minister John Robertson, and Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald a cyberaction (online petition) urging them to wholly reject the Game and Feral Animal Control Amendment Bill. More than 4000 people have signed petitions coordinated by the NCC, the RSPCA, and the National Parks Association. You can modify the subject and mesage of this email.
| Help support our on-going campaign against the Bill
You can contribute to this important campaign and help us cover the cost of the Town Hall meeting by making a donation.
> Click here to make a secure online payment using PayPal. > Download a donations form here . Fax back to 02 8026 8301 or post to Nature Conservation Council of NSW, Level 2, 301 Kent Street Sydney NSW 2000 | Public meetings were held across NSW in August and September 2009.
Click here for a list of resolutions passed at these meetings .
Environmental Defenders Office and North Coast Environment Council Wednesday 26 August Lismore. This meeting was well supported by concerned citizens on the North Coast. Hunters: Our Parks and Animals are not Fair Game - Tuesday 25 August, Ku-ring-gai. This meeting, organised by the Nature Conservation Council and supported by the Parks and Native Animal Protection Coalition was attended by more than 350 people. The event was covered by Channel 9 & 10 News and the North Shore Times. Resolutions were passed opposing the Shooters Bill, and against commercial tourism in our National Parks. Blue Mountains Conservation Society Saturday 15 August. The meeting passed resolutions against Tourism in National Parks and against the Shooters Bill. Sutherland Shire Environment Centre Thursday 13 August. This meeting was well attended and unanimous resolutions were passed calling on the Premier to not proceed with the Shooters Bill, and regarding the high level of concern in the community re the Government's pursuit of Tourism in National Parks.
National Parks Under Attack 5.30 - 8.30 pm, Wednesday 9 September, Theatrette, Parliament House, Macquarie Street, Sydney. Contact
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Our parks and animals are not fair gameThe Game and Feral Animal Control Amendment Bill introduced into the NSW Parliament by the Shooters Party in June proposes opening up our national parks to recreational shooting and the establishment of game reserves. You can read more about the proposals here.
The Parks and Native Animals Protection Coalition - made up of leading environmental organisations and animal welfare groups, are opposed to hunting in National Parks, the establishment of private game parks, the hunting of native animals and birds, and the release or relocation of introduced birds, and other measures outlined in the Bill. The Shooters Bill proposition will not assist in the control of feral animals in national parks, is contrary to existing animal welfare legislation, will have a detrimental impact on the environment and places the average national park user at risk.
Several species of birds and four species of kangaroos are on the hit list of 26 native species that would become fair game for licensed hunters under this legislation. Under the Shooters Bill duck hunting will be reintroduced to NSW.
We're deeply concerned that while the legislation does not allow the shooting of endangered and threatened species, once amateur hunters have access to national parks these species may be illegally targeted or unintentionally killed. This legislation puts the fox in charge of the henhouseThe Shooters Party Bill proposes that the Game Council issues licences to amateur shooters and monitors reports of the numbers of animals killed. Hunting is not an effective means of feral animal control. Ad hoc efforts do not strategically contribute to successful animal management and may undermine professional control measures.
Amateur hunters may have wounded animals, causing unnecessarily cruel pain and suffering before a prolonged death or permanent debilitation.
There are more humane ways of controlling feral animals in national parks than using guns, dogs or even bows and arrows.
We must not declare open season on hunting in NSW NSW Parliament is set to consider the Shooters Bill when it resumes in the first week of September.
We must urgently show our political leaders that the community strongly condemns the Bill - rejecting all hunting in national parks in NSW.
The NSW Government needs the Shooters Party's number to pass legislation and the pressure is on for some kind of hunting concession. The community must show our political leadership we do not support open season our wildlife.
Help support our campaign against the Shooters Bill now! More information and resources Game and Feral Animal Control Amendment Bill
Invasive Species Council's Critique: Is hunting Conservation?
Read the Nature Conservation Council's letter to Minister for the Environment, Carmel Tebbutt, here. Read a joint letter from key environment and animal welfare groups to the Minister for Environment and Climate Change and Minister for Primary Industries here .
Recent media
Read the transcripts of these two great stories from Stateline NSW:
The Shooting Conservationists - (Stateline 28.8.09) A Small Target - (Stateline 21.8.09) Read an article in the North Shore Times Shooters Aiming at National Parks Read more about the politics in Cabinet backs off from plan to hunt in national park by Alexandra Smith and Andrew Clennell (SMH, 23/06/2009) The Game Council of NSW The Game Council NSW is a statutory authority of the NSW Parliament, established under the Game and Feral Animal Control Act 2002 and its associated Regulation of 2004. In general statutory authorities expend public money and have legislative obligations to meet. The functions of the Game Council are outlined in S9 of the Act. Recent media on the Game Council Calls for Taronga Zoo welfare chief to resign 'Hunters - First in Conservation' tagline claim goes to ACCC Shooter's claim goes to ACCC Questions over Game Council contract tender The Parks and Native Animals Protection Coalition      
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