THE state government's divisive permanent Kangaroo Harvesting Program has started.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The program was established in response to the state government's Kangaroo Pet Food Trial which ran for five years. The trial was set to end in March but was extended until September 30.
Under the new program kangaroos will be harvested and processed for pet food with annual quotas set for each harvesting zone.
The October to December quota for the Upper Wimmera is 945. This region includes the Horsham, Yarriambiack, West Wimmera, Hindmarsh, Buloke and Swan Hill municipalities.
The quota for the Lower Wimmera is significantly larger at 4115. That region includes the Northern Grampians, Southern Grampians, Ararat, Pyrenees, Loddon, Gannawarra, Central Goldfields and Glenelg municipalities.
The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning set the quotas based on state-wide kangaroo population surveys. Quotas will be updated annually to reflect population changes.
Authorised and trained harvesters will be matched with landowners who want kangaroos harvested on their property.
The Authority to Control Wildlife system will continue to operate alongside the Kangaroo Harvesting Program as an alternative for landowners to control kangaroos on their own property.
However, carcasses from the Authority to Control Wildlife system cannot be processed under the new system.
The Mail-Times contacted Member for Lowan Emma Kealy. Ms Kealy was a vocal supporter of the Kangaroo Pet Food Trial and had called for it to be made permanent.
"We must actively manage our kangaroo populations to avoid illness and starvation, prevent damage to fence lines and pastures for farmers, prevent damage to our native environment, reduce waste, reduce car accidents on our roads and protect local jobs," she said last month.
"The kangaroo pet food program has proven to be successful in controlling rising kangaroo numbers while at the same time bringing significant economic benefits to our rural and regional communities."
Victorian Farmers Federation's Livestock Group president Leonard Vallance welcomed the permanent program.
"During the Kangaroo Pet Food Trial, we were inundated with calls from members who have lost pasture and crops, and had fences ruined by large numbers of kangaroos. It was a clear message from the farming community that a permanent kangaroo harvest program was needed," he said.
Mr Vallance said the program would cut red tape for farmers and bring Victoria in line with other states.
"The Kangaroo Harvesting Program will feature a standardised form for landowners to provide written consent for the harvester to cull kangaroos on the landowner's property," he said.
"Farmers are being encouraged to ask the harvester for evidence of their authorisation to harvest kangaroos and that they have appropriate insurance.
"It's positive to see that the program removes the administrative burden of kangaroo management on farmers. Farmers will no longer need to apply for a permit or prove kangaroo damage has occurred on their property to access the new kangaroo pet food program."
Western Victoria upper house MP Andy Meddick, of the Animal Justice Party, criticised the program and called for its immediate halt.
"Our Eastern Grey Kangaroos are already dropping in population numbers. This plan could see them being shot to extinction. People travel from all over the world to see these iconic animals and they are casting judgement on the Victorian state government for this decision," he said.
While you're with us, you can now receive updates straight to your inbox twice weekly from the Wimmera Mail-Times. To make sure you're up-to-date with all the news from across the Wimmera, sign up below.
