Safety shot in regional victoria

FOI updates - no transparency

Victoria's forgotten rural voters

March Newsletter

The Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into native bird hunting, found the vast expanse of the state's public area open to shooting is disproportionate and should be reduced. This hasn't happened. From Wednesday, up to 3.5 million hectares of public land, and over half the state's public wetland area, is open to those with firearms to shoot native birds. Most areas have no warning signage and won't be monitored.

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Not just threatened species in line of fire

On Friday, the "independent" regulator announced just 10 public waterways (out of thousands open to shooters) would be closed to shooting to protect threatened species, with a further two partially closed. This is the smallest number of closures in years.

Questions have been put to the relevant department and Minister, as to how all shooting waterways were checked for threatened species, and why the form to submit a report of sightings of threatened species was only published Monday, two days before the guns fire up. Reports of sightings of threatened species submitted by the public in recent weeks have been ignored.

There's also been no response to community's ongoing requests for a small number of public waterways to be exempted from shooting for safety and amenity reasons. RVOTDS believes not only is this a health and safety risk, but a breach of Victoria's Charter of Human Rights. Watch this space.

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Flawed recommendation for 2026 bird slaughter

RVOTDS has also made a complaint to the Minister as we believe the "independent" regulator's recommendation for the 2026 bird shoot to be false and misleading.

The latest (43rd) annual East Australian Aerial Waterbird Survey (EAAWS) - the most comprehensive long-term scientific dataset on waterbird abundance breeding and habitat - shows abundance of most “game” duck species remains well below long-term averages. Five species continue to show significant long-term decline (over 43 years). Others have struggled more recently (the last 13 years).

But once again, the "independent" GMA has recommended a full three-month native bird shooting season in Victoria regardless— including species protected in other states.

To justify the 2026 shoot GMA’s core message to the Minister spruiks an estimated 4.9 million ducks, failing to disclose that only around 100 000 birds were actually counted (Arthur Rylah Institute). The remaining 4.8 million odd were added via controversial modelling criticised by scientists. So much for the "best available evidence."

Of particular concern is the little native Pink-eared Duck (PED) - the smallest "game" duck which is protected in other states due to its particularly low numbers and vulnerability to changes in climate. GMA's own calculations predict at least a third of the little birds' population will be blasted off the face of Victoria. In fact their calculations show it's reasonably likely they'll be completely eliminated. But the regulator is treating it as just another duck to be bagged. Victoria is the only state in the country in which PED and Hardhead can be shot recreationally. So much for sustainability.

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Left: The sweet little native "Pinkie".

"They are very poor game birds... being easy to shoot; they are very small and are poor table birds... I have seen irresponsible shooters fill their bags with them during the day, but throw them away if "better" birds were secured... In my view the bird should be removed from all game lists" 

- Bird expert & hunter H.J Frith (Waterfowl in Australia 1982, p 245).

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Neither sustainable nor "sport"

Curiously in its recommendation, the "independent" regulator chose to discuss rainfall for the entire east coast of the country instead of Victoria. It's no secret much of Victoria has suffered drought conditions not seen in decades. Many waterways are either dry or near dry, particularly in the north. Most would agree that shooting birds seeking shelter in the few areas of water remaining will be like shooting fish in a barrel - hardly "sport". 

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Left: Data from Goulburn Murray Water website 11/3/26

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Where's the transparency?

The below is an update on some of our Freedom of Information Requests (FOIs) and Questions through Parliament.

FOI Requests: 

• GMA's senior leadership meeting minutes - GMA said it didn't have any. A complaint to the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner (OVIC) however, resulted in GMA finding some. Minutes from a couple of key meeting dates "could not be located". The regulator confirmed minutes of leadership meetings are no longer kept.

• Maps or lists of wetland sanctuaries (where recreational hunting of native birds is not allowed.) After escalating to OVIC, DEECA finally replied saying there was no current list. An old list of 43 wetland sanctuaries between 1911 - 1958 was provided. Some have since been removed from sanctuary status to become recreational hunting areas.

• Correspondence from Department of Premier and Cabinet to Minister Dimopoulos re hunting, was apparently too sensitive to be released.

• Our battle for transparency to see discussions that have taken place regarding community requests for some exclusion zones (no hunting), has now progressed to VCAT.

• GMA's "stakeholder sentiment survey" involved mainly hunting groups, with no regional landowner groups interviewed.

Parliamentary Questions:

By Katherine Copsey MP Victorian Greens Here.

By Georgie Purcell MP Animal Justice Party Here.

We thank Katherine Copsey MP and Georgie Purcell MP for advocating for regional constituents.

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In the News

• Our Opinion article in The Herald Sun HERE

• A story on the Premier and the unions in Herald Sun Here

  And some of your letters below:

  

  

  

  

  

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And with thanks to our talented supporter base (and Leunig):

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