The Victorian National Parks Association, Invasive Species Council and Environment East Gippsland have slammed the Allan Government's decision to open 130,000 hectares of Victoria's Errinundra and Snowy River National Parks to seasonal deer hunting.
"The government is shooting themselves in the foot. People visit national parks to walk, camp, birdwatch and immerse themselves in nature – not share the bush with amateur shooters with high-powered weapons," said Victorian National Parks Association Executive Director Matt Ruchel.
State Environment Minister Steve Dimopoulos claims hunting will 'reduce the impact of deer on our national parks', but the government's 2021 Statewide Deer Control Strategy states that "...recreational hunting on its own is not an effective means of controlling deer numbers."
Jack Gough, CEO Invasive Species Council, said: "Let's be clear, this is not a serious response to the serious issue of out-of-control feral deer populations trashing, trampling and polluting our forests and rivers. Opening up national parks to recreational hunting is not going to make a difference to numbers on the ground."
The government touts economic benefits from the 45,000 licensed hunters. But national parks receive 50 million visits annually – three times more than state forests. This generates far greater economic value through nature-based tourism.
Independent polling shows that when asked what visitors valued most about national parks, 53% cited peace and quiet, while 37% explicitly identified "no shooting or hunting" as a reason they would visit national parks more often.
The decision dramatically expands hunting areas beyond the 1.8 million hectares of state forest already available in eastern Victoria. It contradicts the Alpine National Park Management Plan established in 2016. That plan was developed after extensive consultation and tabled in parliament – not announced as a sudden policy reversal.
Victoria has an estimated 200,000 to 1 million feral deer covering 40% of the state, posing threats to wildlife, agriculture, amenity and road safety.
If hunting proceeds, Parks Victoria will need dramatically more rangers with enforcement powers. Given the government has consistently cut funding to Parks Victoria, it's unclear how it will finance the monitoring and compliance of 45,000 licensed hunters across these vast landscapes, along with the safety of visitors.
"We don't need deer control as just a sport. We need bigger coordinated control programs with integrated aerial control and supervised, accredited or professional hunters, especially for the most important habitats," said Ruchel.
Jack Gough said: "Around the country, the shooting lobby have delayed, undermined and stopped effective feral deer control for decades and are the reason feral deer numbers are so high and growing.
"If the government is serious about protecting our wildlife, they need to stop pandering to the shooting lobby and scrap the protections for deer as game animals under Victorian law.
"This decision fundamentally undermines the purpose of national parks – to look after nature and provide a safe place for the public to experience it. There's no evidence they're doing anything but turning our national parks into game parks."
The organisations are calling for a clear, well-funded program to protect high conservation value areas, using a combination of professional control, supervised accredited hunters, and thermal-assisted aerial programs that can reduce deer populations faster than they reproduce.
Background Facts
Conservation threat: Sambar Deer were listed as a potentially threatening process to native vegetation under Victoria's Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 in 2007
Species at risk: At least 13 threatened flora species and 12 ecological communities are threatened, including Alpine Sphagnum Bogs and associated fens
Public preference: Independent polling by Redbridge Group shows more than 80% of Victorians support national parks. Most popular bush activities are passive: short bushwalks (48%), picnics (36%), photography (21%) and activities like birdwatching or camping (11%)
Tourism scale: National parks receive 50 million visits annually vs state forests' 16 million
Policy failures: The State Government committed to reviewing Victoria's outdated Wildlife Act 1975 in 2020 but has failed to release the independent report. Evidence strongly supports declaring deer a pest species rather than maintaining their protected status as game animals.
