I’D like to correct the misinformation that has been circulating in relation to the government’s Agriculture Legislation Amendment Bill 2022, which was passed by the Victorian Parliament this week with bipartisan support.
The amendments will not result in the destruction of crops, nor will they prevent people growing or hunting their own food. Any suggestion to the contrary is false and misrepresents changes in the Bill.
In fact, the Bill will help safeguard food security, food safety and access to export markets which are vital for Victoria’s economy.
The changes are designed to support our vital agricultural sector which is worth $17.8 billion to the state’s economy each year and supports more than 67,000 jobs.
It is extremely disappointing that Northern Victoria MP Tim Quilty is needlessly causing confusion over the legislation with claims that it will prevent hunters from sharing meat harvested from game animals.
This is completely incorrect. The Agriculture Legislation Amendment Bill makes no changes to the way recreational hunters can use game meat.
Under the Meat Industry Act, a recreational hunter can harvest game and either process it themselves or use an unlicensed service provider, such as a mobile butcher service, to process the carcass for them. This is to allow hunters to consume their recreationally harvested game.
It is already an offence under the Meat Industry Act for hunters to sell or distribute recreationally harvested game.
Our government has a strong record of backing hunters and delivering more flexibility in the harvesting of game meats. Under the Sustainable Hunting Action Plan, we removed regulatory barriers so farmers could dispose of problem deer and they could be processed for human and pet consumption.
Changes were also made to enable recreational hunters to have wild deer processed for their personal consumption by specific unlicensed providers.
The plan supports licensed game hunters to increase the popularity of hunting, improve animal welfare, undertake research and increase the role of Traditional Owners in managing the land where hunting takes place.
We are focused on delivering laws that will support our farmers and hunters while safeguarding our food. Peddling lies and conspiracy theories only serves to scare and confuse the communities that some politicians purport to represent.
Mary-Anne Thomas
Minister for Agriculture and Regional Development
