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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-12-03 Daily Xml
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NATIONAL PARKS AND WILDLIFE (BAN ON HUNTING PROTECTED ANIMALS) AMENDMENT BILL

Second Reading

Adjourned debate on second reading.

(Continued from 18 November 2009. Page 4010.)

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (18:04): The government opposes the bill, introduced by the Hon. Mark Parnell, which seeks to amend the National Parks and Wildlife Act to prevent the minister from declaring the hunting season open. The government believes that the National Parks and Wildlife Act already provides a strong framework to prevent the legal exploitation of protected wildlife.

The act appropriately regulates existing activities associated with legal recreational hunting. This is evident in previous decisions that have been made by the government for heavily restricted hunting seasons for both duck and quail in 2009. In 2007 and 2008, the duck hunting season was closed altogether, based on the evidence available at the time. These decisions are based on sound advice about climatic conditions, wetland conditions and local and national waterfowl abundance.

Data has to be available that shows that there is a sufficient number of waterfowl in certain locations and habitats before any hunting can proceed in a season. A number of stringent licensing conditions are enforced, including a waterfowl identification test, compulsory use of non-toxic shot and knowledge of firearms legislation and standards.

The act and its regulations also permit there to be various conditions placed on any season. In 2009, these included the exclusion of wetlands within the Chowilla Game Reserve, while Bool Lagoon and the Bucks Lake game reserves were also excluded due to ongoing dry conditions. These conditions were put in place so that the critical habitat was still available as a refuge for waterfowl.

Studies conducted after the 2009 season found that there was a low level of hunting activity and a high level of compliance with the National Parks and Wildlife Act hunting regulations and licence conditions.

Past practice has shown that the current legislative framework controls the illegal exploitation of protected wildlife and regulates activities associated with legal recreational hunting. So, provisions are already in place to protect waterfowl and their habitat under the National Parks and Wildlife Act. Any conditions imposed are stringently enforced, and decisions about an open season are made with careful consideration. The government will not be supporting the bill and the Hon. Mr Parnell's attempt to ban hunting.

The Hon. M. PARNELL (18:07): I thank the Hon. Ian Hunter and the Hon. Terry Stephens for their contribution, but I am very disappointed that they, on behalf of their parties, are not willing to enter the 21st century in relation to showing compassion to wildlife species and to preventing the cruel slaughter and injury rate that we know occurs in all our wetlands.

The only additional contribution I would make is to respond very briefly to the contribution of the Hon. Terry Stephens. He cited at some length an email he had from Mr Matthew Godson of the Sporting Shooters' Association, which included a claim that my party 'is aligned with extreme animal rights groups'. Well, let me just refer to one of those extreme animal rights groups, and that is the RSPCA, the group that is responsible for administering the animal welfare laws in this state. Effectively, the only private police force in South Australia enforcing the animal protection laws of our state is the RSPCA. I will read to members the first two sentences of its press release:

The RSPCA has thrown its full support behind a bill before Parliament today that will end the recreational shooting of native water-birds in this state. This legislation will bring SA into line with Western Australia, New South Wales and Queensland which banned this controversial sport in 1990, 1995 and 2005 respectively. Green's MP Mark Parnell is presenting the bill and the RSPCA is urging every member to support it.

I urge all members to support the bill, and I will be dividing on it if it is not successful.

The council divided on the second reading:

The PRESIDENT: There being only the teller and nobody on the other side, I call off the division.

Second reading negatived.

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