IF YOU GO INTO THE WOODS TODAY……

In 1999 young Gary Paterson was walking his dog on the outskirts ofWarburton’s forest. A careless deer shooter killed him at close range. This man will stand trial for manslaughter in the Supreme Court of Victoria on 15 May 2000. After the killing the Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DNRE), who control deer hunting in Victoria, started an examination of deer shooting practices. Their report was released in February.

The Hon. Sherryl Garbutt is the Brack’s government’s minister for DNRE – her report is a disgrace on and to the Victorian public. Note these points:

1. Despite expressed concern from community groups such as the Australian & New Zealand Federation of Animal Societies (ANZFAS), the Victorian National Parks Association (VNPA) and Gun Control Australia (GCA), Ms Garbutt did not invite any of them to contribute to the Deer Hunting Report.

2. Ms Garbutt did not advise these groups of the Report, despite the fact that they might be called ‘the community’s safeguard’.

3. In the last six years the number of Victorian deer shooters has grown from 4000 to 10,000. No proposals are made to significantly reduce this increasing intrusion of guns into our park lands and forests – yet Ms Garbutt claims that she is concerned to reduce the interaction between shooters and other park users.

4. Ms Garbutt tells us that the community is kept informed about hunters and hunting practices. What a joke! The yearly Hunter’s Guide does not have community members on its editorial team. Her department has shown no willingness to invite representatives from concerned community groups onto the Hunting Advisory Council (HAC) – the one group where the public might be heard. Guess who is on the HAC, you’re right, shooters, shooters and more shooters; and of course Ms Garbutt’s colleagues, which the Report shows are in favour of shooting, shooting, and shooting.

5. The nasty point of the Report comes when Ms Garbutt tells us that a deer hunting accreditation course will be developed by… who? A panel of experts on animal welfare? No! A panel of ethologists from our universities? No! A panel of community groups who represent public safety? No!. A panel of shooters? Yes! Right again folks. Well, let’s sing-a-long to an old tune.

PIC-NICS

If you go into the woods today
you’d better not go alone.
There’s 10,000 deer shooters there
who call the woods their own.

Steve Brack’s doesn’t mind

he’s one of their kind; shooters are great
they’re his latest find.
Don’t come hunters bait
or it may be too late,
for pic-nics.