Greens Fired Up Over Ports Deal: 'Ducks in firing line as O’Farrell bows again to Shooters Party'

The O’Farrell government looks likely to expand the unwanted guns and hunting culture in NSW by supporting duck hunting legislation proposed by the fringe right wing Shooters Party, say NSW Greens. "In return, the government appears likely to receive support for its contentious ports privatisation plan."

Greens NSW MP and Firearms spokesperson David Shoebridge said:

“First hunting in National Parks and now open season on ducks – who knows where this unholy alliance between Barry O’Farrell and the Shooters Party will end.

“NSW is set to be doubly damned by this rotten deal – with our ports privatised and our native animals pumped with pellets.

“Duck hunting can be an extremely cruel practice. The ducks are often maimed and die slow agonising deaths.

“The former Labor government opened the door to duck hunting in NSW via the Orwellian-named ‘Game Bird Mitigation Program’.

“This latest deal will see more ducks in the firing line and permits issued by the pro-gun Game council rather than the National Parks Service.

“Farmers and land holders are already able to use licensed hunters to shoot native ducks on their own land. There is no need to extend this cruel program any further.

“These pro-gun extremists have proved time and again that they will try and shut down any government who will not bend to their demands.

“In answer to a question from the Greens in the NSW Upper House today , the government would not rule out any further deals with the Shooters Party.

“Labor and the Coalition in government both have a ‘whatever it takes’ attitude to the Shooters Party in NSW, which is seeing an emerging U.S. style culture of guns and hunting,” Mr Shoebridge said.

See Greens website for more details.