This will not come as a surprise to anyone, the extremist animal rights movement really doesn’t like duck hunting. In and of itself, a fringe group not liking duck hunting is fine. A part of living in a liberal democracy is, within reason, putting up with things that other people do that you don’t necessarily like and them doing the same.
Many people will also philosophically accept people campaigning for what they believe, both politically and by engaging in some form of protest (provided that they respect the rights and freedoms of others). Again, this is a part of living in a liberal democracy.
The extent of support Victorians have for the animal rights movement was tested by their political arm, the Animal Justice Party (AJP), at the recent State Election. The AJP received the lowest first preference vote of any party with an MP elected at that election, a paltry 1.51 per cent. The AJP only managed to get an MP elected by effectively double-crossing other candidates (not least of who was their former MP Andy Meddick) in opaque preference deals. As a result, Georgie Purcell was elected in Northern Victoria with just 7,123 votes. For context, pro duck-hunting candidate Josh Knight from the SFFP received 23,374 in the same region. If the 2022 Victorian election was a referendum on duck hunting, the results are overwhelmingly for the continuation of the activity.
Most Australians would (and should) have a problem with extremists lying, breaking the law and trashing the rights of others in the pursuit of their beliefs. And so it is with the animal rights movement and duck hunting. The latest example came on Wednesday when deposed (but clearly still ambitious) former MP Andy Meddick posted this on Facebook.
The undeniable implication is that duck hunters illegally shot the Swan. That is not what happened. The bird died of misadventure, having hit powerlines. Nature is brutal, and wildlife tends to die unpleasant deaths by modern human standards.
In the very early hours of Friday morning, just under two days after the initial post, the ‘Friends of Gunbower Forest’ posted this half-hearted, heavily qualified and still speculative and misleading ‘retraction’. The AJP’s Andy Meddick made no such concession, sticking with his original story despite it having been so comprehensively debunked.
This is not the first time that the animal rights movement has used a dead swan as a macabre prop in their campaign against duck hunting. In 2016, RSPCA Victoria’s CEO, Dr Liz Walker (a trained veterinarian), attended a duck opening and posed (alongside other animal rights activists and a Greens MP) with what was clearly a long-dead swan. The RSPCA then falsely inferred via social media posts that recreational hunters illegally killed the swan. That is not what happened, and it is inconceivable that a veterinarian of Dr Walker’s experience did not almost immediately know that assertion was false. Neither the RPSCA nor Dr Walker have ever retracted, explained or apologised for this blatant effort to deceive the Victorian public.
All of this should lead the public to ask two very simple questions. First; if the animal rights movement’s cause is so just, and their evidence against duck hunting is so strong, why do they need to lie so often? Second; given that the animal rights movement lies so often, so blatantly, and so obviously, what do they say that people can actually believe?
It’s a disgrace that so much of the mainstream media turns a blind eye to these blatant breaches of public trust, choosing instead to sensationalise what is a safe, ethical and sustainable activity.
SSAA Victoria and our partners will continue to stand up for duck hunting and for the rights of Victorians to enjoy their chosen outdoor recreation unhindered by attacks by inner urban elites.
It is our history, it is our heritage, it is our culture, and it must be protected.