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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2024-03-19 Daily Xml
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Native Bird Hunting

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (14:44): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before addressing a question to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, representing the Minister for Climate, Environment and Water, on the topic of the native bird hunting season.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS: This weekend was the first weekend of the 2024 declared native bird hunting season in this state. On Saturday at Lake George, footage captured by animal advocates showed children windmilling injured ducks and a variety of other cruel behaviours. Another video showed dead ducks left unretrieved, and also the RSPCA has stated that they have seen footage that shows shooters consuming alcohol while hunting.

Conservation and Hunting Alliance SA Vice President Rob West's response to this was that most of this behaviour was 'quite acceptable', but that there was 'still some education to do' around certain practices. He went on to say, 'Windmilling is a practice that has been quite traditional for duck hunters over the years,' but that 'the video just shows there's still a little bit of work to do'.

The recent inquiry into duck hunting in this state should have put duck hunters on notice that windmilling is contrary to the Animal Welfare Act, that they were being observed last Saturday and Sunday out on Lake George and elsewhere, and that this behaviour of potentially drinking alcohol while hunting native animals does run contrary to the Animal Welfare Act. My questions to the minister therefore are:

1. Can she clarify whether alcohol can be consumed while duck hunting?

2. Is windmilling ever appropriate and in accordance with the Animal Welfare Act?

3. What will she do to give voice to the many people who responded to the Malinauskas government's Animal Welfare Act review, the overwhelming number of whom called for the end to duck hunting in this state?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (14:47): I thank the honourable member for her question, and I certainly will pass those questions on to the minister responsible in another place and bring back an answer for the honourable member.

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