"The
Kangaroo BETRAYED!"
Hill of Content Publishing Pty. Ltd.
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Tel: 03 9662 2282
VICTORIA
1986.Comprehensive
document presented to Minister for Environment, Joan Kirner
(Victoria), outlining illegal activities in kangaroo processing
in Victoria ( illegal dumping ground). Out of this is born Mutual
Recognition, the legal mechanism which allows free trade between
states, virtually doing away with controls of tagging etc
COMMONWEALTH
1988.Senate
Committee on Animal Welfare Inquiring into Kangaroos, released
Conclusions and Recommendations unsympathetic to the welfare
of kangaroos (Senators George Georges and Norm Sanders
in Minority Reports) One of three former members remained
and new Committee "stacked" to favour farmers . In
a dissenting report, Senator Norm Sanders, said that
inquiry should not have framed its recommendations based on
pragmatism. He called for the industry to be closed.
"The welfare of the kangaroos, our national animal,
must be placed ahead of commercial interests and inept bureaucrats."
- Senate Committee on Animal Welfare
accused of bias. Senator George Georges, who Chaired the Inquiry
for three and a half years, writes in his Statement of inclusion
in the record, ."I find the conclusions and recommendations
of the final report hard to accept and unsympathetic to the
welfare of the animal which is being examined."
- The CSIRO conducted a
"survey" of 600 properties purporting to convey
the extent of damage done by kangaroos. Taxpayers money was
used as a blatant attempt by Government and the agricultural
community to 'hoodwink' the public into believing that "kangaroos
are as big a pest as rabbits and blowflies", the kangaroo
industry was a necessity and if kangaroos were killed, why
not eat them instead of leaving them rot on the ground.
- Kangaroo meat introduced onto
the Commonwealth Parliamentary menus of politicians. Outcry
from community was ignored.
1989.Commonwealth
Kangaroo Monitoring Unit Officer, Gerry Maynes attended
a Game Meat Working Party where he sanctioned the use
of 'Protected Wildlife' (kangaroos) as game meat for human consumption.
No animal welfare, wildlife
protection organisations were represented, only the kangaroo
industry, government bureaucrats and vested interests.
1990.Our
Common Future, "Species & Ecosystems Resources for
Development". Wildlife is constructed as a resource
in the Report. Wildlife Utilisation is central to developing
sustainability.
- RSPCA, ANZFAS (Animals Australia),
ACF, Greenpeace withdrew from the National Kangaroo Advisory
Committee in protest against the quota system for killing
kangaroos
- National Strategy for Ecologically
Sustainable Development the framework from which decisions
on commercial use of wildlife can be made.
1993-4.Rural
Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) allocated
funds in the annual plan for Kangaroo Product Marketing.
1994.'Commercial Use Of Wild
Animals' Report' by Brian
J. Ramsey, launched by the Minister for Primary Industries,
Senator Bob Collins (Northern Territories) Report recommended
we farm, harvest and commercially export all wildlife.
Not only is Senator Bob Collins
a Founding Member of the 1997 Senate 'Inquiry Into Commercial
Utilisation of Native Wildlife' but Brian Ramsay,Author
of the Commercial Use of Wild Animals Report, thanks the kangaroo
industry for its help and funding. All funded by
taxpayers.
1995.'Conservation
Through Sustainable Use' Edited by Gordon Grigg, Peter Hale
and Daniel Lunney Chapter 52 "Potential Conservation Benefits
from Kangaroo Harvesting"
- the need for landholders
to have some sort of proprietary rights over the resource
- the need for a
reduced and less prescriptive role of government
in regulation of the industry
- A recognition of the importance
of a return to landholders and of a significant and
initiative role for them as stakeholders in kangaroo matters,
including the development of markets, regulation
and on-going management (this is coupled to
the proprietary rights issue)
- the need for support by government
in the educative process both nationally and internationally
to combat the negatives that have been traditionally associated
with kangaroo harvest The extent to which reduction in
total grazing pressure (TGP) should be at the expense of sheep
or kangaroos depends on one's perspective."
- all geared to the demands
of land holders without due regard for the welfare of kangaroos
- TOTAL GRAZING PRESSURE (TGP)
A
REDUCTION IN UNNECESSARY RESTRICTIVE REGULATION OF THE KANGAROO
INDUSTRY IN ALL STATES.
1996."Sustainable
Economic Use of Native Australian Birds and Reptiles" ACIL
Economics Pty. Ltd. For Rural Industries Research and Development
Corporation, Agency of Primary Industries. "Now we're
Goanna Have an Export Boom" (SMH 12/9/1996) "A
plan to export dozens of native species including goannas, cassowaries,
bustards, tortoises, geckos and frogs has been developed by
the Federal Government." The animals to be bred on 'ranches
(Permitting the commercial use of native birds and reptiles
can contribute to the national economy').
- In answering, Michael Kennedy,
Director of the Humane Society International said "This
is a direct threat to wildlife. The underlying premise
is that unless values can be attached to wild resources, including
economic value, people will not modify their behaviour or
adopt strategies to live sustainably with the natural world".
"SMUGGLED 2"
by Raymond Hoser Chapter 8 Kangaroo Connection "Few
industries have had so much corruption alleged and yet managed
to avoid the scrutiny of a major investigation." The kangaroo
industry has been called the most regulated, yet lawless industry
in Australia. Call for a Royal Commission
Industry Commission Report
'Inquiry' into Ecologically Sustainable Land Management'
(ESLM) calls for Trade in and Commercialisation of Wildlife.
"Australian native wildlife is a renewable resource. If
managed in an ecologically sustainable manner, wildlife can
provide a perpetual source of economic benefits for all Australians".
(Environment Australia Submission, 1997 p.iv.)
Submission to the Senate
Commonwealth Environment Powers Inquiry from the Australian
Wildlife Protection Council: The Wildlife Protection (Regulation
of Exports and Imports) Act 1982 facilitates the exploitation
of wildlife. The separation of responsibilities means that
cruelty to kangaroos and other wildlife is basically ignored
by wildlife authorities at both State and Federal level.
There is no existing mechanism at the Commonwealth level
to ensure that wildlife is obtained without cruelty and this
is not taken into consideration when determining State quotas
for kangaroo harvesting.
We therefore have federal legislation
which facilitates the exploitation of kangaroos but no legislation
to protect them from extreme cruelty. THE BETRAYAL.
1998.COMMERCIAL
UTILISATION OF AUSTRALIAN NATIVE WILDLIFE (Senate Rural
& Regional Affairs & Transport References Committee):
This Federal Inquiry composed of rural based Senators, Chaired
by John Woodley (Queensland, Australian Democrat Senator) ignored
submissions from the majority of the 340 it received opposed
to the commercial use of wildlife and was widely condemned;
widely seen as a disaster for Australia's native birds and animals.
The Executive Summary
and recommendations state: ".in Australia there
is a strong and vocal minority who believe there
should be no commercial use of wildlife". This statement
demonstrates extreme bias. The fact is that the
MAJORITY of submissions OPPOSED Commercial Utilisation of
Wildlife.
This Report from the Rural
Senators also concludes that big game hunting of native
birds and animals, in spite of the benefits, is rarely promoted.
Only two submissions proposed big game hunting! Such blatant
disregard for the majority epitomises the intent of the
Inquiry.
Government Document
Available as the 'Policy' of Australia
'Harvesting will invariably
involve some injuries and protracted deaths"
"To harvest a sustained
yield from a population at steady density, it must first be
manipulated in some way to promote the rate of increase (e.g.)
reduce it below its ecological carrying capacity or supplement
its resources".
RATES OF HARVEST MAY BE RAISED
TO LEVELS AT WHICH THAY CAN CAUSE THE EXTINCTION OF THE POPULATION
(Arguments will be confounded when there are non-consumptive
values attached to the resource such as for tourism.)
1999."Environment
Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Bill " means that
the Commonwealth has weakened, not tightened federal powers.
For kangaroos in NSW .animal cruelty
matters are regulated and dealt with by RSPCA, but the RSPCA
is logistically incapable of policing the kangaroo industry.and
NPWS has no direct access to or maintain records in any case.(
Letter from NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service, John
Eveleigh, KM:8 8 December 1996).
So kangaroos have no protection
from cruelty. Kangaroo
products therefore can be obtained with great cruelty and suffering
to kangaroos, yet still be exported because there is no legal
mechanism to stop this cruelty. This also means that our AWPC
Submission dealing with this issue of cruelty, sent to the Commonwealth
Powers Inquiry, was ignored.
- Kangaroo Industry Regulation
Discussion paper (Tom Kaveney) "Environment Australia
does not intend to charge at a full cost recovery rate (permits
and administration fees) in recognition of the community service
component of kangaroo management and conservation" AND."the
general aim of the meetings is to discuss ways in which the
regulation of the kangaroo industry could be enhanced to
better accommodate the NEEDS of the industry". No
animal welfare/wildlife protection input/representation.
- 5,668, 416 kangaroos are
allowed to enter export market. Kangaroo kill quota the
highest in history. Scientists ignoring the basic premise
of natural selection, claiming that the kill is sustainable
and failing to address extreme cruelty in kangaroo industry.
- "Export Push Fuels Boom
for Roo Meat" This product is being pushed as a healthy,
low-fat, low-cholesterol alternative to other meats, reports
Wendy Levy. (Canberra Times 24/6/1999 J
"Focus on Animals"
Kangaroos, ostrich, mutton birds and even flying foxes were
investigated for a report on new and emerging animal industries.
David Mc Kinna's Report, 'Marketing of New Animal
Products', was commissioned by the Rural Industries
Research and Development Corporation. Corporation manager Dr
Peter Mc Innes said research on the development and market potential
of industries was essential for continued growth. "For
an industry like emu, which has undertaken a stage of rapid
growth, it is important to identify constraints and then introduce
research strategies to overcome them." (Melbourne Herald-
Sun July 28, 1999)
October 18,
1999. FEDERAL MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE, THE HON WARREN TRUSS
ANNOUNCES THE LAUNCH OF A NEW RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
FOR THE KANGAROO INDUSTRY
The new Kangaroo Industry R&D
Program is administered by the Rural Industries Research
And development Corporation to
assist the continual development of the Kangaroo Industry. FUNDS
will be contributed jointly by the Industry and the Federal
Government.
QUEENSLAND
1992.Queensland 'Nature Conservation
Bill "Where protected
species are taken from the wild for commercial purposes and
then become part of a "farmed system", these species
will then come under the control of the Primary Industries Department.
Responsibility for the management of wildlife will be spelt
out in the conservation plan or in the provisions of any permit,
license, or authority"
There is a CONFLICT OF PURPOSE
as the major role of the Department of Environment
is in conservation and environmental protection
while that of the Department of Primary Industries
is in the 'protection' of qualities of natural resources,
used for production and securing their sustainable use.
- The 'farming' of protected wildlife,
is a system effectively closed from the 'wild' population,
and is a case of the 'sustainable use' of wildlife
rather than conservation. The government disseminates policy,
and information and further implements its Kangaroo Management
Programs, so the conflict of interest is real.
- National Strategy for Ecologically
Sustainable Development the framework from which decisions
on commercial use of wildlife can be made
1995.
"The Role of Kangaroo
Management in the Management of Total Grazing Pressure"
(University of Queensland
) November 1995. Collated ideas from researchers in the
area of kangaroo management, land degradation, population dynamics,
and kangaroo product processing. The efforts to address the
issue of land degradation will need to be directed elsewhere.
Thus, converting a farm from
sheep/beef to kangaroos is simply not profitable.
"The Wild
Harvest and Marketing of Kangaroos"
- Harvest rate increased
- quotas restricting off take
- Governments to pay agistment
for kangaroos on graziers properties
by Tony Pople, Department
of Zoology, University of Queensland
NEW SOUTH WALES
1992.Kangaroo
meat for human consumption passed in NSW Upper House by ONE
VOTE from the rev. Fred Nile. The Labor party was totally opposed,
especially Bob Harrison, MP for Kiama who warned of the consequences
1996..CSIRO's
Division Wildlife & Ecology, Murray-Darling Commission Workshop
in Dubbo to discuss killing kangaroos as part of TOTAL GRAZING
PRESSURE. Identified integrated and comprehensive approach
(Research and Development) to develop into full funding submission
and present to Commission./ study related to management of total
grazing pressure, run by Queensland Primary Industry and CSIRO
Wildlife & Ecology, also funded.
1996.."Bound
to sell well - a 'sexier' kangaroo" (SMH 9/9/1997) Federal
Government-funded plan to boost human consumption of kangaroos
and develop public image for kangaroo industry, launched
by the Minister for Science, Peter McGauran, on behalf of the
Kangaroo Industry Association, principal of Southern Game Meat,
Mr Vic Bates, who processes the bulk of the NSW harvest.. Change
the name kangaroo to Marla, "culinary cringe derived
from view of kangaroos as cuddly brown-eyed animals"
1996.."Kangaroo
Management and the Sustainable Use of Rangelands "
by Tony Pople (Conservation
Biology and the Department of Zoology ) and Steve McLeod (Vertebrate
Pest Research Unit. NSW Agriculture)
"Management of this harvest
(kangaroos) has the diverse and sometimes conflicting goals
of maintaining viable populations throughout their natural
ranges, harvesting kangaroos as a resource and minimising
the impact of kangaroos on primary production"
"A consequence
of reduced kangaroo populations size is reduced long-term
harvest off take, which could compromise the commercial viability
of the kangaroos industry whose economic value is substantial,
particularly in rural areas."
ENVIRONMENT AUSTRALIA 's 1998
Publication " Biodiversity" gives the ten top reasons
to care about BIODIVERSITY. Biodiversity
at the Dinner table.colourful booklet giving ways to season
kangaroo . with lemon myrtle, pepper leaf , berries and spicy
red tomatoes
1999..
Evaluating
Alternative Management Strategies
for Kangaroos in the Murray -Darling Basin" NSW Agriculture
Stakeholder, CSIRO's David Freudenberger attending as a Pastoralist
(perceived conflict of interest in his role also as CSIRO
Wildlife & Ecology), Ron Hacker, Department of Agriculture,
Chair:.".we should look at what the various interest
groups considered their ideal kangaroo population should look
like, or what they could least tolerate."
NSW NPWS aims & objectives
of the Kangaroo Management Program (Joshua Gilroy) ".The
States share the same aim: Manage the harvest kangaroos
as a renewable resource. .
in South Australia, tags
within a region are transferable, which may lead to some areas
receiving very high harvest rates (like Queensland). Whichever
method of regulation is used, with the exception
of the red kangaroo harvest in Queensland, the quota has
rarely been reached.for
any of the harvested kangaroos species."
BUT
FOR THE RED KANGAROO THE QUOTAS HAVE BEEN REACHED.
1996..Head
of Australian Museum ,Sydney NSW, Professor Michael Archer,
quote : "You can get filthy stinking
rich killing kangaroos"
."part of our objective is to identify any kind
of resource that can be economically valuable, that can be harvested
sustainably, that will provide a revenue.it
even goes to koalas" unquote.
Australian scientists are
ignoring the most basic, fundamental premise of natural selection,
claiming that the kill is sustainable and failing to address
or even acknowledge the extreme cruelty in commercial kangaroo
killing.
SOCOG
invites Jennice Kersh (Edna's Table) to establish a 200 seat
branch of her restaurant in the media centre to serve kangaroo
meat to International journalists at the Olympic Games.
INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN AGAINST
commenced in 1999.
TASMANIA
John Kelly,
spokesman for the Kangaroo Industry Association, exporter
and proprietor of LENAH GAME MEATS, cited for cruelty to
possums on the ABC "7:30 Report", 4th May
1999. The Minister for Primary Industry (and Environment)
in Tasmania, David Llewellyn takes no action. Kelly
is also involved in the harvesting of wallabies.
Rural Industries Research and
Development Corporation (RIRDC), Primary Industries "Kangaroos
Need Jump in Profile". Funds diverted from Tasmanian Department
of +Transport to John Kelly (Kangaroo Industry Association)
LENAH GAME MEATS for kangaroo, possum, wallaby meat harvesting
and processing, the sum of $92,000.00.
Rural Industries Research and
Development Corporation again comes to the rescue of John Kelly
(Kangaroo Industries Association) by providing funds contributed
jointly by Industry and the Federal Government. ( Warren Truss,
the Minister for Agriculture) Launched the project at a cocktail
party in Canberra October 18th, 1999. With the help
of the HEAD of the Australian Museum, Michael Archer.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
- Workshop of Kangaroo Management
Adelaide July 21-22 , 1993 "Removal of Impediments
to a Commercial Sustainable Kangaroo Industry" Convened
by the Department of Primary Industries and the CSIRO, compiled
and edited by Rural Division (DPIE)
- 1)develop a strategic plan for
industry and establish industry development and research priorities
- 2) Institute a program of industry
promotion , extending the concept of managing kangaroos as
a renewable resource
- 3) in consultation with Commonwealth
and State Agencies, examine the options for long term funding
of the industry's research and management requirements.
- Suggestions by industry to
change the name of kangaroo to karo;
- Skippy image of kangaroo
an impediment
1996...
Amendments to the National Parks and Wildlife Act means that
existing controls on commercial utilisation of wildlife are
removed to harvest kangaroos as a commodity; the Minister can
declare an open season on any species, with no permit required.
The University of Adelaide Australian
Institute of Biologists Symposium
"Exploiting our Native
Fauna CULLING,HARVESTING,FARMING?
CHAIR: The Director of Australia's Nature Conservation
Agency, Dr Peter Bridgewater.
'From Conservation to Exploitation
in South Australia'
"Powerful commercial interests
are involved in the harvest of kangaroos and they exert a strong
lobbying influence in both State and Federal Politics."
2OOO Campaign against Jennice
Kersh and SOCOG .
"WHILE THERE
ARE AVAILABLE BIOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL MEANS OF CURTAILING NUMBERS
IN THOSE AREAS WHERE POPULATIONS ARE EXERTING GRAZING PRESSURES,
THESE METHODS ARE NOT EXPLORED, DUE TO INDUSTRY PRESSURE"
