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Peter Hall on the Traralgon Pistol Club
- updated 28 May 2010
The National's Member for Eastern Victoria, Peter Hall is arguably the most credible politician in state parliament. Mr Hall has come into bat for shooters on previous occasions and has done so yet again. This time Mr Hall has raised a matter for Roads Minister, Tim Pallas, in relation to the future of the Traralgon Pistol Club following decisions made on the location of a nearby freeway. The Traralgon pistol club is located
on a parcel of land which has a total area of 13 hectares,
of which 2 hectares is occupied by the premises and
facilities that the pistol club operates from. The land is
currently owned by VicRoads; hence I am raising this
matter for the attention of the Minister for Roads and
Ports. The history of this location of the pistol club dates back
to 1984 when the club located on the land. The land
was then owned by the Traralgon Water Board and
later Gippsland Water, and there was a lease
arrangement between Gippsland Water and the
Traralgon pistol club for the use of that land. However,
in 1996 the land was compulsorily acquired by
VicRoads for the purposes of a bypass road around
Traralgon. With the ownership having been taken over
by VicRoads, there was a lease arrangement between
VicRoads and the pistol club. There has now been an alteration to the proposed route
of the bypass of Traralgon and this 13 hectares has now
been declared surplus to requirements. Hence VicRoads
is looking to sell the land, which of course poses a
problem for the pistol club. The club really does not
want the 13 hectares; it simply want the 2 hectares on
which it is located. I think it is a bit rough that the club
was settled on land which was originally owned by
Gippsland Water, the then water board, which has since
been compulsorily acquired and which is now being
sold out from underneath the club. I think the honourable thing to do would be for
VicRoads, if it wants to dispose of the 13 hectares, to
excise the 2 hectares currently occupied by the pistol
club with a view to either continuing a lease for the
pistol club or offering just the 2-hectare site for sale to
the pistol club and then arranging for the remainder of
the land to be disposed of in an appropriate manner. My request to the Minister for Roads and Ports is that
he investigate this matter fully, explore ways of
achieving an honourable and decent outcome for the
pistol club in Traralgon and provide the club with some
certainty of tenure for its site. I might add that half of its
site is already in the coal buffer zone and half of it is on
a possible residential development site. There are some
complicated issues there, but it would seem an
appropriate place to locate a pistol club, close to a
township. I think there are some solutions if the
government has the will to work through those, and I
ask the minister to do so. Thanks Mr Hall. Nationals announce fox and wild dog bounty The National Party has announced its policy to introduce a fox and wild dog bounty if elected. Here is their media release, which got a good run on 3AW today.
A Victorian Liberal Nationals Coalition Government will implement a year-round statewide bounty to control fox and wild dog numbers across Victoria. Shadow Minister for Regional and Rural Development and Leader of The Nationals Peter Ryan and Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Deputy Leader of The Nationals Peter Walsh today announced $4 million over four years to establish a Fox and Wild Dog Bounty if elected to government. Mr Ryan said Victorian fox and wild dog numbers had exploded in recent years and were a serious threat to farming communities and the natural environment. "Foxes and wild dogs are exposing farmers to severe stock losses, resulting in hefty costs to farm businesses and Victoria's economy," Mr Ryan said. "Native fauna and our natural ecosystems are also under threat from these introduced vermin. "Under the Coalition's program all licensed shooters, including rural landholders, will be eligible for a $10 bounty for every fox and a $50 bounty for every dog killed. "The Fox and Wild Dog Bounty will give community groups, rural landholders and shooting organisations an active management role in controlling Victoria's fox problem. "The bounty will be a vital part of a comprehensive fox and wild dog eradication program to protect livestock and the natural environment." "Research shows foxes are estimated to cost Australia more than $228 million per year in combined environmental and agricultural impacts and control costs, with the direct impact on sheep production alone estimated at $17.5 million every year – in some areas they have been known to take up to 30 per cent of lambs. "In reintroducing the bounty, we are aiming to replicate the success of the 2003 program when about 198,000 foxes were killed," Mr Ryan said. Mr Walsh said the Brumby Government's token 'Fox Stop' program had proved to be an abject failure. "The Brumby Government has ignored the state's wild dog problem and has failed to control fox numbers," Mr Walsh said. "Just 6,200 foxes were killed last year under the Fox Stop program last year, as opposed to 198,000 when the Fox Bounty was trialled in 2003. "The Coalition's plan will ensure control of foxes and wild dogs is no longer funded on a temporary, ad-hoc basis. "The Fox and Wild Dog Bounty will be part of a fully-integrated pest control program which includes poisoning and other measures to control vermin," Mr Walsh said. Peter Hall on Australia Post Popular upper house MP, Peter Hall, raised the following pertinent matter relating to the Licensing Services Division's move to follow the disastrous experiment in Western Australia by oursourcing the front end licensing interface with Australia Post. It is possible that there is a sound business case in it, however the numbers we have seen suggest otherwise: the experience in WA has seen a significant increaase in both fees and paperwork delays. If it were to proceed, a consequence of this would be that firearm owners would queue up at Australia Post offices across the state when they need to pay their annual licence renewals. That would mean information such as the number of firearms, where those firearms were stored et cetera would become freely available to staff at Australia Post and conceivably those in the queue behind that person. That information may particularly be conveyed if there is some discussion between the person behind the counter and the person in front of the counter as to any differences of view in respect of the records of particular firearms. Firearms organisations have approached me to express their grave concerns about the outsourcing of this function to Australia Post. I think the general public would share that concern if that particular function was outsourced to Australia Post, which is very much a public service provider. Given that I have some serious concerns about this, given that the people who have approached me have concerns that this might happen, the action I seek is an assurance from the minister that the government will not proceed with the outsourcing of firearms licensing functions to Australia Post in particular. Government announces state shooting centre Sports Minister, James Merlino, today announced funding for the development of a state shooting centre. His media release sums up the reasons for it very well:
The new centre will cater for international level pistol, shotgun and rifle shooting and house indoor and outdoor ranges, skeet grounds, a gymnasium and administration and other function facilities. "From community clubs to the Olympics, shooting is a sport that attracts a large number of participants taking part in a range of disciplines,” Mr Merlino said. "However urban growth is encroaching on Victoria’s existing facilities and those which survive are outdated and only cater for certain disciplines, restricting their ability to host events. “The new State Shooting Centre will have superior facilities for training and coaching, and increase Victoria’s chances of attracting national and international competitions."
In response, we have out out a media release welcoming the announcement. Duck protesters let themselves down In what is the clearest sign that duck protesters are being taken for a ride, the Greens Sue Pennicuik made the following statement in on the third day of parliament this week. You have to wonder why they didn't say this on the first day - Tuesday, when parliament resumed after duck opening. Instead they relegated this to 'day 3', being Thursday. You also have to wonder why we didn't see Laurie outside 1 Treasury Place for his usual protest on Monday morning. However let's give them the benefit of doubt. Here is what Ms Pennicuik said:
As far as I could tell, only one duck was killed that morning; another duck was injured but flew away. One wounded bird was rescued the next day and is recovering well under the care of Wildlife Victoria. Up to one in four birds that are shot manages to escape but is wounded and may suffer for extensive periods of time. The so-called game species are native birds that are fully protected except during duck shooting season. Shooters this year can take a bag limit of eight birds per day, including one blue-winged shoveller, and three must be wood ducks. This is an increase on the previous season, which is amazing, because all species have been under pressure because of the long drought. The blue-winged shoveller is under the most pressure. It was taken off the hit list for a number of years, only to go back on it in 2009 and 2010. Despite the stress that our waterways and water birds are under, the government approved a 2010 duck hunting season of 72 days. The government claims that it is following the most recent advice from the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) and the Victorian Hunting Advisory Committee. The government is convinced that hunting at the levels allowed for 2010 will not adversely affect populations of ducks. I have perused the DSE's 'Considerations for the 2009 Duck Season'. This is what this publication is called on the DSE website, but it is in fact about the 2010 duck season, so it has been given the wrong title. In the 'Summary' section of that publication it says that the: Total breeding index (all species combined) was below average and lower than in the previous year. However, there was an increase in breeding species diversity.There are no details about that: Breeding was concentrated … in three locations — Lake Mokoan, Gippsland and Stanhope. But as I have already said, there were no ducks seen in Gippsland. If one looks at the Eastern Australia Aerial Waterfowl Count breeding index chart in the DSE document, it shows that the breeding numbers of game birds between 2002 and 2009 was basically zero. The last time there was any breeding activity by ducks in this state was in 1999, when there was a good season, and 2001, when there was a tiny season, so ducks that are up to 9 to 11 years old are the only ones left. Due to this evidence, the action I seek from the minister is to immediately suspend the 2010 duck-shooting season. Hall takes on duck protesters Popular Upper House MP, Peter Hall, yesterday made a statement in parliament urging all sides to ensure that the opening of duck season occurs lawfully and safely. That's code for syaing that the protesters should obey the law, which, by our observations, is a big ask. Mr Hall urges law enforcement officials to ensure that the protesters in particular, are held to account for their actions. Here is what he said:
While I acknowledge the right to protest, I urge those opposed to duck hunting to make the protests known away from game reserves. Conflict within areas where firearms are in use is particularly dangerous and should be avoided. As well as calling on protesters to stay away from game reserves, I call upon duck hunters to exercise responsibility in the conduct of their chosen recreation with respect to the adherence to laws and regulations governing the activity and to demonstrate tolerance to others. I call upon authorised officers of the Department of Sustainability and Environment and Victoria Police to exercise their powers to the extent necessary to reduce conflict and improve safety when duck hunting takes place in game reserves this year. Herald Sun reports on our concerns about the LSD The Herald Sun has set out our concerns about the performance of the Licensing Services Division of Victoria Police. This follows a submission we made in January last year to the Premier and Police Minister which basically fell on deaf ears. It's not good enough chaps, so we've had to wheel out the HS to get our point across. Hopefully something will be done now.
[Click on the image for a larger version - this may take a few moments to load....]City of Traralgon Pistol Club: site
Mr HALL
(Eastern Victoria) — Tonight I want to raise a matter for the attention of the Minister for Roads
and Ports. It concerns land occupied by the City of
Traralgon Pistol Club. That land is located at 60 Retreat
Road in Traralgon.
- updated 11 May 2010Coalition outfoxes Brumby Government
Monday, 10 May 2010
- updated 11 May 2010Australia Post: firearms licensing
Mr HALL (Eastern Victoria) — Tonight I wish to raise a matter for the attention of the Minister for Police and Emergency Services. It concerns the possible outsourcing of firearms licensing functions to Australia Post. It has been brought to my attention that the
government is considering outsourcing firearms licensing functions. Currently all those licensing functions are undertaken by the licensing services division within Victoria Police. It has been brought to my attention that the government has been engaged in discussions with Australia Post with a view to having Australia Post maintain the firearms registry and manage all registration and renewals for firearms licences.
- updated 4 May 2010“He said the Brumby Labor Government would provide $12.7 million for the purchase of land and the design of a new multi discipline State Shooting Centre.
- updated 26 March 2010
Duck hunting: season
Ms PENNICUIK (Southern Metropolitan) — My adjournment matter is for the attention of the Minister for Environment and Climate Change. Last Saturday, 20 March, I attended the opening of the Victorian duck shooting season at Dowd Morass State Game Reserve in Gippsland. When the sun came up what was most immediately noticeable was the very low water level — we had to walk 100 metres to the water from where it normally is — and the virtual absence of water birds, apart from some swans. Very few ducks were seen.
- updated 10 March 2010
Mr HALL (Eastern Victoria) — With duck season opening on 20 March, today I call upon everyone with an interest in duck hunting to do all within their respective powers to see that the season is conducted in a safe and lawful manner.
- updated 9 March 2010