Duck Hunting Permits

Mr McBRIDE (MacKillop) (14:54): My question is to the Deputy Premier and Minister for Environment. Can the minister inform the house what is the cost of duck hunting permits? With your leave, Mr Speaker, and leave of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Mr McBRIDE: My office has been contacted by many duck hunters who believe that the cost of a permit has gone from $50 to $100, a 100 per cent increase that they believe is a tactic aimed at making it too costly to participate.

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Deputy Premier, Minister for Climate, Environment and Water, Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Minister for Workforce and Population Strategy) (14:54): The member is right on one element and wrong in the conveying of the concerns on the other. It is true that the price of duck hunting permits has increased from, I think, around $53 to $100. It is not true that that has been motivated by a desire to see people not take up the opportunity to have a duck hunting permit.

Members will be aware that in the other place there was an inquiry undertaken as a select committee looking into the hunting of non-abundant native birds; that is, birds that are not in pest proportions but are nonetheless allowed to be hunted. That inquiry looked at a number of different issues associated with that activity. They made a number of recommendations, some of which have already been implemented and others which will be taken up through review of the code of practice and other elements that guide the way in which duck hunting is managed by the Department for Environment and Water.

In the process of responding to that inquiry it was determined that it was appropriate that duck hunters pay for the services they receive from the Department for Environment, that there had been a significant subsidy by the department that is otherwise dedicated to managing the environment on behalf of South Australians, that it was subsidising this activity and that it was appropriate that that money be taken out as a cost to the people undertaking the activity.

In the first instance there has been the cost simply for running the short period of the season itself, and it will increase because there are a number of costs associated with permitting duck hunting that go throughout the year. Therefore, it will continue to increase in order to see that money being paid by those who receive the service.

I will say that although the government has maintained a position of continuing to allow duck hunting and the acting minister signed off on the most recent season opening earlier this year, it is the single issue about which I received the most correspondence in opposition. This is something that is not widely popular in the community, nor is it widely popular amongst people who choose to write to me. Nonetheless, the government has been clear that it has maintained the policy position but that it is appropriate that people who receive a service ought pay for it.