December 8th 2009
VICTORIAN LANDS ALLIANCE
Media Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Ingram Call For Deer Management Supported
Gippsland East MP Craig Ingram has called on the government to amend National Parks
legislation currently before the parliament to allow for more parks to be opened to licensed deer
hunting, to manage increasing numbers of deer.
Mr Ingram states in his letter to government that seasonal, licensed deer hunting is the only tool
currently available to manage deer on public land and this should be expanded to lessen impacts
of deer on the environment.
“The Victorian Lands Alliance supports Mr Ingram’s call for deer management in existing and new
national parks to preserve the conservation values of parks for all Victorians” said the secretary of
the Alliance, Max Rheese.
“We note that sambar deer, whilst classed as protected wildlife, have been declared a Potentially
Threatening Process under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act,
so it is the duty of the land
manager to bring about a means of management that is currently lacking in these areas.”
“The amendments called for by Mr Ingram would allow deer hunting under the same conditions
that already occur in six other national parks in Victoria since 1984” said Mr Rheese.
Public land management guidelines dictate that animal populations must be managed and this
currently does not occur in the Snowy River National Park and some other parks. The proposed
amendment would provide a win-win situation for the government as it could be seen to be aiding
the requirements of the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act without any cost to land managers.
Deer hunting is highly regulated and controlled and is the safest outdoor adventure activity in
Victoria according to figures from the National Coroners Information database.
Recreational users have reported higher numbers of deer in parks that are not open to hunting
supporting Mr Ingram’s claims of a need for deer management in national parks.
–
ENDS –
The Victorian Lands Alliance is a coalition of member based recreational and commercial users
of public land representing over 40,000 Victorians. The primary objective of the Alliance is to
initiate public policy which is consistent with the ideals of its member organisations to improve the
management of public land.
This policy will ensure active management and sustainable multiple-use of public land that
balances the needs of the environment and community.
NEWS 
