Minister Must Ban Duck Shooting

Yesterday’s protest outside Matthew Groom’s office

Against Animal Cruelty Tasmania (AACT) is calling on the Minister to demonstrate strong leadership by bringing a permanent end to duck shooting in Tasmania. This weekend marks the end of the three month duck killing season for 2014.

“It’s been a tough three months for native waterbirds in Tasmania.” said Chris Simcox, spokesperson for AACT, “Government-sanctioned ‘recreational’ killing of native ducks has been happening since early March. Thousands of ducks have been shot and thousands have been left wounded, as we see happen every year.”

From early March to early June five species of native ducks were the target for shooters on wetlands around Tasmania. This annual killing season has been going on for many decades during which times millions of native ducks have been shot.

“We are unequivocally opposed to the needless violence inflicted on thousands of native waterbirds each year.” said Mr Simcox, “Each life that is taken is a life that has been cut short, violently. There is no justifiable reason for this, and we should all be horrified that it is still allowed. Ministers in other states have chosen to end the violence. Minister Matthew Groom has the opportunity now to show environmental and moral leadership and end the killing permanently in Tasmania.”
Chris Simcox, AACT. First published June 6