2026 STATE ELECTION WHO WILL KEEP VICTORIANS SAFE?
H5N1: Carroll government turns blind eye to poultry risk
With the highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) now in Victoria, continuing recreational bird shooting across thousands of public wetlands is an unacceptable biosecurity gamble.
Infected ducks and quail don't always show symptoms. This means hunters cannot identify contaminated areas by sight, and are likely to inadvertently then spread the virus around our regions and back into homes via their boots, vehicles and dogs. The vast expanse of Victoria’s public wetlands open to hunting means it is impossible to monitor for H5N1.
Gunfire alone disturbs flocks, potentially dispersing localised infection into a state-wide epidemic.
The virus can remain infectious in water for extended periods, particularly in cooler conditions. The claim that it will quickly dilute in open wetlands is dangerously complacent.
Waiting for reports of mass bird deaths before imposing restrictions is like "closing the gates after the horse has bolted".
Other countries have suspended hunting during avian influenza outbreaks, recognising the importance of reducing disturbance and transmission risks.
If Victoria is to protect its fragile inland ecosystems and valuable agricultural industries - especially the poultry industry - from the worst of H5N1, it must immediately shift from reactive management and deploy absolute precaution.
99.9% of Victorians don't shoot ducks. So why is the Premier afraid of the tiny 0.1%? Regional Victorians call on Premier Carroll to do the right thing: honour the number 1 recommendation of his own government's Inquiry to ban this outdated, barbaric and unwanted activity, in line with other states.
Protecting wildlife makes economic & political sense
While on the subject of statistical facts, recently released Tourism Research Australia data for the year ending June 2026 reinforces the enormous economic value of protecting Australia’s wildlife and natural environments.
Nature-based tourism generated $91 billion in domestic and international spending, with national and state parks attracting $40 billion — up 16% in a year. International visitors who birdwatched spent an average of $2 billion a year over the last two years.
China alone contributed $11.7 billion in tourism spending in Australia. Surveys by the Australia China Business Council show most Chinese tourists are attracted to our natural scenery and wildlife (The China Visitor Economy June 2026).
Domestically, visits to national / state parks and also bushwalking, generated $35 billion collectively, the lion's share going to QLD and NSW. Wildlife watching generated $1.12 billion.
Bushwalking is a boon for regional economies. Those who bushwalked in NSW spent $5 billion. In Queensland they spent $4.9 billion. In Victoria, those who bushwalked spent less: $3.4 billion — but still almost three times the $1.3 billion spent by those who fished.
Notably, recreational hunting in public areas in Queensland is prohibited. In NSW it's restricted to specific areas, with reasonable safety buffers around private property boundaries. Both states banned recreational native bird hunting decades ago.
It's not rocket science. Rather than sacrificing native wildlife for the benefit of a tiny minority (hunters), governments should protect it as a living economic asset — supporting regional jobs, tourism businesses and future generations.
2026 State Election - Are YOU Ready?
It’s never been more important to have strong moral leaders in Parliament who will be our voice.
Please consider
researching the parties and candidates in your area to make sure your vote goes towards the Victoria you want to be in.
NUMBERING THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF BOXES and not taking the short way out! We can control our own preferences and don't need to follow anyone’s “How to Vote” cards.
RVOTDS has compiled a high level summary of where we see some of the parties based on our own engagement with them and research of published policies: refer below - in no particular order.
For those interested in a wider lens, you may wish to consider research by our friends Mount Alexander Wildlife Watch inc. shown below:
*Notes on comparison tables:
- Where a party has not demonstrated a sufficiently clear position it is marked orange rather than making an assumption.
- Information should be checked against each party's latest published policies as party positions can change.
- Each Independent is different. Please reach out to the Independent in your electorate to gauge where they stand on issues.
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