Rosalie Woodruff MP | Greens Environment spokesperson
The comments, and apparent lack of understanding of gun laws, from the President of Field Hunting and Conservation are extremely concerning.
Mr Darke, who represents 1100 armed duck hunters, is saying he isn’t sure who's at fault if a shooter fires into a fog and hits an unseen person. It is always the responsibility of a shooter to have a clear line of sight before they fire.
If the head of a major hunting body isn't clear on these basic safety laws, it does not bode well.
If shooters are out on our wetlands without full knowledge of gun safety, this is a very dangerous situation.
The Minister for Police needs to make a statement immediately about public safety being the number one priority. He should clarify the laws and assure the community that all criminal conduct will be prosecuted to its fullest extent.
Anyone has the right to protest the slaughter of our native birds. Protestors will be on our wetlands lawfully at the opening of the shooting season this weekend.
It's often protesters who rescue and care for the ducks that hit the water shot, but alive, and would otherwise be left to die slowly on the wetlands.
This is Tasmania’s hottest summer on record, and our native ducks are under tremendous pressure with the severe drying and low water levels. This season they will be breeding in even harsher conditions than before.
We are relying on shooters to follow the rules when it comes to not hunting before dawn and killing injured and suffering birds, but it seems some are struggling to understand basic gun safety.