Wildlife rescuers are continuing to oppose the state’s duck hunting season following a protest outside a Bellarine MP’s office.
Geelong Duck Rescue (GDR) members gathered outside State Member for Bellarine Alison Marchant’s office at Leopold’s Gateway Plaza on May 10 but were ordered off the shopping centre’s grounds by a security officer.
Protest organiser and founder Natalie Kopas said the group urged Ms Marchant to take a stand against duck hunting as the shooting site Lake Connewarre was located within her electorate.
“We got the impression that this was an instruction passed on from Ms Marchant’s office to centre management to get rid of us,” she said.
“Labor’s war on wildlife is deeply unpopular, so it makes sense she would try to avoid any public association with the cruelty of recreational duck shooting happening right in her backyard.”
Protesters moved to the streets to highlight their concerns that the state’s native waterbird populations had declined due to habitat loss, drought and climate change.
GDR’s Blue Bill Duck mascot also attended the protest and said the blue bill duck was a native species that was not supposed to be shot.
“Even though I’m not on the list, my species is still wounded and killed by shooters every year,” they said.
“I think Ms Marchant actually did us a favour. Outside her office, hardly anyone would have seen us, but once we were pushed onto the street, every passing car saw our signs.”
A state government spokesperson said Ms Marchant supported people’s “right to peaceful protest” and that the decision to move protesters was made by Gateway Plaza’s owner, Charter Hall.
“In line with security protocols, Charter Hall was notified of a planned protest out the front of the Bellarine electorate office. The decision to move on protestors is a matter for Charter Hall,” they said.
Hunters will receive cultural heritage and wounding reduction training with stricter penalties introduced for people doing the wrong thing, enforced through the Wildlife (Game) Regulations 2024.
This year’s daily bag limit for game birds has also been guided by the science-based Adaptive Harvest Management model, which was tailored to the state’s conditions, habitats and species.
