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Sport and Recreation | October 31, 2018

Liberal Nationals will better manage game reserves

An elected Liberal Nationals Government will clean up neglected state game reserves in western Victoria by giving hunters a greater role in maintaining them.

There has been growing concern that Victoria’s 200 state game reserves (SGRs) are being poorly managed under Daniel Andrews, with reports of damaged fencing, inadequate or non-existent signage and pest animals and weeds getting out of control.

If elected, the Liberal Nationals will transfer management functions for Victoria’s SGRs from Parks Victoria to the Game Management Authority through amendments to the Wildlife Act 1975.

The Nationals Member for Lowan, Emma Kealy MP said it’s time to clean up our game reserves and give hunters a greater role in their management.

“Local state game reserves are a great asset to our community, bringing hunters and their families into our region who spend in our local cafes and shops, providing a healthy boost to our regional economies,” Ms Kealy said.

“Our commitment means members of local Field and Game Clubs or other registered hunting organisations will be able to contribute to the better management and conservation of our game reserves for the benefit of these natural environments and the enjoyment of thousands of recreational hunters in western Victoria.”

Hunting contributes more than $435 million to the Victorian economy each year generating about 4,500 direct and in-direct jobs, largely in regional Victoria.

Ms Kealy said the threat of a Labor-Greens government was putting the economic boost and resulting jobs hunting provided our state’s economy at risk.

The Greens are no friend to Victoria’s recreational hunters, with their stated policy objectives including banning all duck hunting and ‘the end of recreational hunting on public land’.

“Only a Liberal Nationals Government will better support recreational hunting by cleaning up our game reserves and giving hunters a greater role in maintaining them,” Ms Kealy said.