Two recent court outcomes have once again highlighted the inadequacy of Victoria’s legal framework when it comes to protecting public safety on our wetlands during duck season.
In one matter, an anti-hunting activist was filmed entering a declared hunting area during legal shooting hours, a clear breach of Victoria’s public safety laws. The penalty? A mere $150 fine. In another case, a separate activist walked away with just a good behaviour bond for similar offending. Both breaches were undeniable, deliberate, and dangerous. It is hard to see these outcomes as anything but tokenistic. They do nothing to deter repeat behaviour from those intent on disrupting lawful, tightly regulated hunting activity.
While we did not hear the Magistrate’s comments directly, reporting by the Coalition Against Duck Shooting suggests that one Magistrate acknowledged that duck hunting is a politically charged issue. If such remarks were made, they were hopefully “obiter”, legally irrelevant and not a basis for the judgment. Political views have no bearing on the application of a clear-cut public safety offence. These laws exist for one reason only: to keep everyone safe.
The reality is that Victoria’s current approach to activist offences is failing. This year alone, twelve anti-hunting activists were detected breaching public safety laws. The frequency and brazenness of these incursions should alarm anyone committed to lawful conduct, safety, and evidence-based game management. These are not isolated events; they reflect a deliberate, organised campaign to interfere with a legal activity conducted under strict regulation.
SSAA Victoria continues to advocate for a stronger, clearer legal framework; one that protects hunters, authorised officers, and even anti-hunting activists themselves. We believe it should be an offence to enter a wetland during hunting times without a genuine intent to hunt. Anything less invites confusion, confrontation, and real risk.
Let us be clear: we fully respect the right to protest. But there is no right to interfere with the lawful activity of others simply because you disapprove. The right to protest does not include the right to impose your intolerance on others.
We urge the Victorian Government to act. Public safety laws should do what they say on the wrapper: protect public safety. That means real deterrents, clear boundaries, and a legal framework that upholds the rule of law, not one that turns a blind eye to those who would flout it.