Massacre of hundreds of protected species shows duck season must end
Revelations in today’s Age regarding the massacre of hundreds of ducks and protected species, left to die in the water in what was clearly an organised shooting spree, is emblematic of why duck shooting should be banned once and for all, Greens MP, Sue Pennicuik said today.
“What is worse is that this terrible incident, which must be shocking to the majority of Victorians who don’t support duck shooting, could have been prevented if warnings had been heeded,” Ms Pennicuik said.
Greens say Dump the Victorian Jumps Racing Carnivals
Once again the jumps racing 'season' is upon us and once more horses and jockeys are being put at risk of death or injury in Victoria's jumps racing 'carnivals', Greens MP Sue Pennicuik said today.
"This cruel and unnecessary activity is a blight on Victoria," Ms Pennicuik said. "The RSPCA opposes jumps racing as do the majority of Victorians.
"Jumps racing has long been banned in every other state, except South Australia, on the grounds of cruelty. It is unlikely it would continue in South Australia if it was banned in Victoria as virtually the same small number of horses and trainers are involved.
Greens move to disallow new Wildlife Regulations for duck shooting season
Who: Victorian Greens animal welfare spokesperson, Sue Pennicuik MP
When: Wed 6 March 2013 (Approx 4.00 pm)
Where: Legislative Council, Parliament House
Tune in to the live broadcast at approx 4pm today and select Council
What: Greens animal welfare spokesperson, Sue Pennicuik will move to disallow new Wildlife Regulations 2012 and take note of a petition bearing 706 signatures tabled in parliament last year to permanently ban the recreational shooting of Australian native waterbirds in Victoria.
The new Wildlife Regulations will increase exclusion zones in state game reserves for duck rescuers and other non-licensed shooters from 5 to 25 metres from the shoreline and from sunset to 10 am the following day for the entire duck shooting season.
Q: 9013 Racing: Greyhound Racing Victoria — animal welfare
9013. MS PENNICUIK — To ask the Assistant Treasurer (for the Minister for Racing):
(1) How many greyhounds are currently registered with Greyhound Racing Victoria (GRV) for racing in Victoria.
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Primary Industries and Food Legislation Amendment Bill 2012
Ms PENNICUIK (Southern Metropolitan) -- The Primary Industries and Food Legislation Amendment Bill 2012 is an omnibus bill which makes amendments to various acts, including the Impounding of Livestock Act 1994, the Livestock Disease Control Act 1994, the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986, the Local Government Act 1989 and the Food Act 1984. In large part the amendments made to those various acts by this bill are sensible and the Greens support them, particularly regarding the impounding of livestock that are providing a risk to public safety. It extends the powers available to officers to enter land and deal with those livestock that are not properly contained. Under the Livestock Disease Control Act 1994 the bill provides for additional offences relating to cattle, pigs and bees, and it also makes a change to compensable diseases under that act, removing tuberculosis and bovine tuberculosis as a compensable disease for farmers.
Greens call for ban of live exports
The Greens are continuing the call for a ban on live exports.
“The Greens and many others in the community have opposed the live export trade for years," Sue Pennicuik, Victorian Greens spokesperson for animal welfare said in support of the BAN LIVE EXPORT rally being held in Melbourne and other states across Australia, this Saturday 6 October.
“My federal colleague, Australian Greens’ animal welfare spokesperson, Senator Lee Rhiannon, has re-introduced a Greens’ private members bill to ban live exports and bring an end to the cruel suffering of exported animals.
"We want it stopped completely, as it is not possible to prevent animals from suffering should it continue,” Ms Pennicuik said.
Authority to control wildlife permits issued in East Gippsland 2011
On 21 March 2012 Greg Barber applied to the Department of Sustainability and Environment under Freedom of Information for all of the permits issued for the control of the Australian Fur Seals, Emus, Swamp Wallabies and Red-necked Wallabies in East Gippsland during 2011. On 21 June 2012 Greg received a stack of documents, all printed from the Wildlife And Game Licensing System (WAGLS) database. Not all of these are for the destruction of animals – the single permit issued for the “control” of fur seals allows only the use of a commonly used minor explosive which makes lots of noise and is non-lethal.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of permits are to destroy our native fauna.
Greens MP protesting at duck shooting season opening
Who: Sue Pennicuik MLC, Victorian Greens Animal Welfare spokesperson
When: Saturday 17 March, sunrise
Where: Lake Buloke Wildlife Reserve, near Donald, Victoria
Victorian Greens Animal Welfare spokesperson Sue Pennicuik MLC will protest at the opening of duck shooting season, joining duck rescue teams and protesters.
Greens motion: Duck shooting season
Ms PENNICUIK (Southern Metropolitan) -- I move:
That this house requires the government to act immediately to repeal the current duck shooting season and to ban duck shooting within Victoria as has occurred in New South Wales, Western Australia and Queensland.
I begin by saying that the current duck shooting season finished two days ago during the long weekend, on 13 June. Duck shooting was banned in Western Australia in 1990 -- 21 years ago; in New South Wales in 1995 except for on some public land where it is still allowed -- 16 years ago; and in Queensland in 2005 -- 6 years ago. It has never been allowed in the Australian Capital Territory. When those bans were put in place the premiers at the time basically said that duck shooting was an activity that was not acceptable in the 20th century, or the 21st century.
Animals: welfare
Ms PENNICUIK (Southern Metropolitan) -- On 24 February I was privileged to attend an evening with Lyn White, hosted at Federation Square by Animals Australia. Lyn gave a profound and inspiring speech, beginning with the suffering of animals in the live export trade, for which she has become well known and has worked on for more than a decade. Regrettably in the past 24 hours we have seen that the brutal treatment of live export cattle continues. The live export trade is inherently cruel and must be stopped.
Lyn spoke of the daily suffering of billions of animals at the hands of humans, in agriculture, research and other fields. She posed the question why, when most people are so distressed by animal suffering -- such as is seen in her footage of the Indonesian abattoirs -- that they cannot bear to see it, they can be contributing to that suffering by the choices they make every day if they do not know or do not want to know about it.
