During the school holidays, a family taking a trip to Deua National Park was horrified to witness have-a-go hunters shooting indiscriminately at kangaroos, killing some and maiming others. This is not the only incident.
Numerous reports of casual shooters killing all sorts of wild animals have been made recently because the state government recently passed a bill allowing hunting in national parks. These shootings were illegal and the hunters jumped in. However, the parks do not have the staff to police legal hunts properly if they go ahead. This not only enables the cruelty of animals being maimed and left to die but also poses a danger to the public.
Seeing dead and horrifically injured animals is not what people have in mind when they set off to experience the country's scenery and wildlife. Ask the NSW government not to allow any hunting until the parks have the resources to police it properly.
We the undersigned ask that you place an indefinite moratorium on hunts in national parks. At the moment, there are not enough trained staff members to ensure that any hunts follow regulations.
Essentially, once hunters have registered their hunt, they will be free to do whatever they like, whether that is causing unjustifiable cruelty through a lack of expertise, endangering the public or shooting protected species.
The announcement that hunting would be legal has also apparently led to a spate of hunters jumping in illegally and causing just the problems outlined above. For example, a family’s day out was ruined recently when they bore witness to recreational hunters indiscriminately killing and maiming kangaroos.Park staff have said they fear for their own safety.
A second announcement that no hunting would be allowed until the parks have the resources to cope might put an end to this.
The national parks are a vital natural resource and should be for the entire population, not a small group whose activities can ruin everybody else’s experience. We ask that you announce that no hunting will be allowed until the infrastructure to deal with it is in place.
Thank you for your attention.
