Hansard debates

Mrs McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (15:57): (2083) My adjournment debate matter today is directed to the Minister for Environment and Climate Action and follows on from the very successful motion I moved this morning, which, among other things, called on the minister to end shooting of brumbies now. The carnage and animal cruelty that is taking place in our public spaces, in the Barmah and High Country forests, is just obscene. Proper protocols are clearly not being adhered to. PestSmart standard operating procedures demand proper slaughter procedures. This is not happening. Mutilated horses show shots to the gut and neck, with no speedy follow-up of a head shot to render a speedy death to minimise pain. They are also not meant to be shooting mares in foal. Mares are aborting foals, being shot in the stomach, and the carnage that is being left is so disgraceful.

The public were assured of best practices of animal welfare—by the RSPCA, no less. The RSPCA gave the green light to shooting. Where are they now? They are obviously just apologists for Labor atrocities. Matthew Jackson from Parks Victoria and Ms D’Ambrosio, the minister, need to be held accountable for this barbaric, cruel operation. Among other things, the motion also called for rehoming of the animals. That has not taken place either. Only 10 have been rehomed when there are plenty of rehomers prepared to take the horses and manage them and look after them. No, they do not want to do that. They just want to shoot them. So given the vote in the chamber this morning that demands an immediate end to shooting—I repeat, an immediate end to the shooting of brumbies in Victoria—the action I seek is for the minister to immediately take note of this motion carried today and end this barbaric and callous slaughter.