The Victorian Government’s Select Committee Inquiry into Victoria’s Recreational Native Bird Hunting Arrangements is now open for submissions.
Terms of reference
The terms of reference for the inquiry are:
A select committee of nine members be established to inquire into, consider and report by 31 August 2023 on Victoria’s recreational native bird hunting arrangements, including but not limited to —
(a) the operation of annual native bird hunting seasons;
(b) arrangements in other Australian jurisdictions;
(c) their environmental sustainability and impact on amenity;
(d) their social and economic impact.
The terms of reference closely mirror those of a similar inquiry in South Australia, which will look at “animal welfare, sustainability, community attitudes, economic considerations and Aboriginal perspectives.”
Submission timings
Submissions close on Monday, 8 May, 2023. SSAA Victoria is encouraging hunters and shooters to make submissions to the inquiry focussing on what hunting means to you personally, socially and culturally.
The best submissions generally:
- Clearly address some or all of the terms of reference—you do not need to address each one
- Are relevant and highlight your own perspective
- Are concise, generally no longer than four to five pages (as short as one page is fine)
- Begin with a short introduction about yourself
- Emphasise the key points so that they are clear
- Outline not only what the issues are but how problems can be addressed as the committee looks to submissions for ideas to make recommendations
- Only include documents that directly relate to your key points
- Only include information you would be happy to see published online.
Visit your local MPs (especially the Labor ones)
The most important things that hunters and supporters who care about a future for hunting in Victoria can do are make a submission to the inquiry and visit their local MP.
Engagement works. Perhaps the most common ‘complaint’ we hear from our allies in Spring St is that, when it comes to the issues that affect us, emails and visits from our opponents outnumber those from shooters and hunters by a significant margin. It’s not necessarily that more people oppose our interests than support them, but that is the impression that our elected MPs are left with.
For every person who writes to, calls, or meets with their MP about an issue, there’s an assumption that many more feel the same way. Your MP cares about what the people who can vote for (or against) them think.
For the most part, MPs are accessible and interested in engaging with their local constituents.
CLICK HERE FOR SSAA Victoria’s guide to meeting with your local MP
SSAA Victoria’s actions
SSAA Victoria worked closely with our colleagues at FGA and ADA before the 2022 Victorian State Election to highlight the importance of native bird hunting to Victoria’s hunting and shooting community.
Since November, the Association has had a near-constant presence in Spring St as it has worked to grow support for native bird hunting in particular and hunting and shooting more generally.
Since the announcement of the Select Committee Inquiry, the Association has worked to influence the membership of the Committee and has commissioned independent research to inform and compliment SSAA Victoria’s submission.
SSAA Victoria is in regular contact with specialist hunting organisations and with other groups in the community that share a desire to see a strong future for native bird hunting in Victoria.
