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Agriculture | March 22, 2019

Farmers and jobs at risk as kangaroo scheme set to end

The Nationals Member for Lowan Emma Kealy has hit out at the Andrews Labor Government, saying its refusal to renew the kangaroo pet food scheme is threatening local jobs and making life harder for farmers already under pressure from dry conditions.

Pet food processors across Victoria have been utilising kangaroo carcasses for pet food since The Nationals first introduced the scheme in 2014.

The scheme formally expires on 31 March and was established to manage kangaroo numbers and utilise the carcasses of culled animals. Without the program, kangaroos culled under permit will be left to rot in paddocks.

Farmers across Lowan struggling with increasing kangaroo numbers have been calling on the government to make the scheme permanent, with current dry conditions making the program even more important.

“This government hasn’t been brave enough to come out and tell farmers it won’t be continuing with the scheme,” Ms Kealy said.

“Farmers are already struggling to feed their livestock and cannot afford to carry hundreds of kangaroos as well.

“Labor’s refusal to be front up and tell people that they care more about placating inner city greenies than they do helping rural communities is extremely disappointing.”

“Labor MPs need to get out of the city and make an effort to understand the pressure country people are under.

“For the sake of our farming communities, I call on the Andrews Government to show some guts and reinstate this program before it expires.”