SSAA Victoria has been engaged with the State Government, Opposition and Crossbench regarding legislation currently before the Parliament that seeks to make significant changes to National Parks in Victoria.
While the bill contains several positive elements – notably extending seasonal deer stalking access in Eastern Victoria and introducing seasonal access in some new parks in the Central West – the Association is in the regrettable position of not being able to support the legislation overall. We have made this position clear to all sides of Parliament.
Like most significant reforms, the legislation comes with both opportunities and challenges. Our role is to give members a clear, balanced understanding of both – not just the headlines, but the detail that really matters.
The good
The legislation would open up seasonal deer stalking access in the Snowy and Errinundra National Parks, a reform SSAA Victoria has been driving for many years. Earlier this year, we were the ones who took the proposal directly to the Minister for the Environment, ensuring our position was clearly understood at the decision-making table.
The legislation would also allow for seasonal deer stalking access in new National Parks in Victoria’s Central West. When the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council (VEAC) tabled their final report on the Central West back in 2019, it opposed the continuation of recreational deer hunting, erroneously stating that “…hunting and firearms are not consistent with national park objectives”. SSAA Victoria led a collaborative effort involving hunting organisations to successfully convince the government that, consistent with the principles followed in the creation of other parks in Eastern Victoria in the latter part of the last Century, deer stalking should be permitted to continue where there is an established history of hunting in State Forests.
The not so good
The creation of the new Central West National Parks is unnecessary and represents little more than a symbolic gesture to the green lobby. The supposed rationale, ending native timber harvesting, became redundant when the Government banned timber harvesting in State Forests at the start of last year.
These new parks will ban recreational hunting for pest species entirely, limit recreational hunting with gundogs, and remove access for prospectors and local communities who have long supported hunters on issues such as the defence of recreational duck hunting. SSAA Victoria has not forgotten that solidarity.
Our position
SSAA Victoria has consistently maintained a principled opposition to the creation of new National Parks over its 74-year history. That position is not dogmatic; if there were a clear and compelling environmental rationale, we would reconsider it. In this case, there is not, and we cannot.
We understand the Opposition may seek to divide the legislation in the Upper House next week, likely with crossbench support. Although the bill is expected to pass largely unchanged, some pro-hunting MPs may vote against it on principle, despite its positive elements. SSAA Victoria respects and understands their position and cautions that any attempt to portray their vote as “anti-hunting” would be inaccurate and unfair.