The kangaroo pet food trial has been given the green light to be extended for a further year.
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The trial began in 2014 as a method to reduce the waste of kangaroo carcasses controlled under Authority to Control Wildlife permits and was extended in September 2016, allowing additional local government areas to take part in the trial.
Minister for Energy, Environment, and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio said the extension would provide certainty to the industry and provide time to conduct further assessment of the program.
“The extension will give us time to learn more about what’s working and what isn’t.”
Kangaroos that are controlled in the trial must be humanely killed by professional shooters which have the appropriate ATCW permits and then the carcasses can be sold to pet food processors.
In September 2017 the state government conducted a broad kangaroo population survey which indicated there to be approximately 1.4 million kangaroos in Victoria.
During the latest extension which will continue until March 31 2019, the same survey will be repeated to assess whether the trial and adjustments to the management of ATCW permits are sustainable long-term.
However, there are mixed opinions on the extension with those involved in the industry given the security of further employment while others fear it will mean kangaroos will be controlled using inhumane methods.
Glenn Cole is a professional shooter under the kangaroo pet food trial and said the extension had secured employment for many involved in the industry.
"We didn't know what was going to happen, in the last four weeks we all thought it wasn't going to happen which gave a negative feel right across the industry,” Mr Cole said.
"Without the extension I wouldn't have had any employment, and that's the same situation with my buyer [pet food processor] as they were on the verge of sacking 10 people.
"We all thought that it wasn't going to continue and everybody that I spoke to said it was an absolute waste if we didn't continue it.
"They are not increasing the number of kangaroos to be culled, all we are doing is utilising the ones that are going to be culled anyway."
Australian Society for Kangaroos president Nikki Sutterby said the extension would allow shooters to continue ‘with no supervision whatsoever’ as there was no certainty they were being killed humanely.
“No one is out there protecting kangaroos and their young or ensuring they are being killed humanely by the kangaroo meat and skins industry,” Ms Sutterby said.
The trial is taking place throughout 16 local government areas in the state including Greater Bendigo, Loddon, Mitchell and Strathbogie.
