Guy Barnett,Minister for Primary Industries and Water
The Greens are up to their usual trick of spreading mistruths — this time about duck hunting.
The Greens have today claimed that I went ahead with the Tasmanian duck shooting season last year, against the advice of my own departmental experts.
As the Greens well know, this statement is simply not true, and they must be held to account.
I have been very clear that I received no advice from the Secretary that I should make a new Order, or an amendment Order, to change the provisions for the 2020 duck season.
As I have advised previously, the draft advice was not provided by the Department to me or my Office, and the decision to open specified reserved land for duck hunting during the 2020 wild duck season was that of the Director of National Parks and Wildlife and Director General of Lands - not me as Minister.
Our Government recognises appropriately managed duck hunting as a traditional form of recreation in Tasmania.
The Department manages an open season to provide access for recreational hunting and has strict regulations and procedures in place to ensure that the hunting of ducks is humane and sustainable.
Long-term population monitoring of wild duck populations conducted annually by DPIPWE shows no evidence of long-term decline in wild duck numbers in Tasmania over this period, and the Department also undertakes annual monitoring of harvested species to help ensure the sustainability of takes.
The Greens should stick with the facts and stop spreading misinformation to suit their own political agenda.
