Hume City Council response attributable to Mayor of Hume City, Councillor Carly Moore
Council is aware of community concern regarding the reported shooting of kangaroos at the future Haystone Business Park site on Western Avenue, Westmeadows.
We recognise that many residents care deeply about our local wildlife and are distressed by reports of kangaroo culling occurring in close proximity to residential areas. Community concerns about animal welfare, safety and transparency are understandable and deserve to be heard.
Council had no prior knowledge of these activities. We understand they were undertaken by the landowner and developer, MAB, in accordance with a Kangaroo Management Plan approved and regulated by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA).
While the developer appears to have acted within the approved regulatory framework, Council is disappointed that neither Council nor the community received advance notification about an activity of such significant public interest. Greater transparency and communication are essential when decisions of this nature are being implemented.
This situation highlights the need for stronger consideration of relocation and other non-lethal management options wherever practical. Council calls on DEECA to prioritise these approaches in the plans it assesses and approves and to ensure local communities are appropriately informed when wildlife management activities are proposed near residential areas.
Council expects all parties involved to engage openly with the community and to place a strong focus on public confidence, animal welfare and community safety. We will continue to advocate for improved communication and wildlife management practices that better reflect community expectations.
