Leader of The Nationals and Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh is encouraging local people to add their voice to a petition calling for a halt to the Andrews Government’s brumby cull.
Brumbies are an iconic part of our State’s cultural identity, and whilst maintaining biodiversity in Victoria’s parks is necessary, any management of brumby populations must be conducted ethically and sustainably.
Mr Walsh said brumbies were an iconic symbol in regional Victoria.
“It’s disgraceful that the Andrews Government wants to just go out and shoot brumbies when it has made no effort to muster or rehome them,” Mr Walsh said.
“Country people have not forgotten that it was Labor who banned cattle from the high country. This is yet another attack by Labor on the high country’s way of life.
“Most people understand that brumby numbers in the high country do at times need to be reduced, but instead of just shooting them, the Andrews Government should be working to muster and rehome them wherever possible.”
Parks Victoria’s guidelines state that shooting brumbies is supposed to be a method of last resort, but the Andrews Government has done nothing to reduce numbers before trying to shoot them.
Mr Walsh said Premier Daniel Andrews and Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio had gone missing and refused to take action.
“The Andrews Government is ignoring country communities and Labor’s own policy by pushing ahead with this cull,” Mr Walsh said.
“Despite targeting brumbies, other destructive animals like deer, wild dogs and pigs are running wild through our national parks and forests because the Andrews Government has failed to put appropriate control measures in place.”
It’s estimated there are about 300 sambar deer for every brumby in Victoria’s High Country.
To sign the petition visit www.savethebrumbies.com.au
