Macedon Ranges Shire Council will again call for facts and figures on the state government’s Kangaroo Harvesting Management Plan ahead of its 2028 review.
Councillors are determined to understand how the program was formulated, the data supporting it and whether the Macedon Ranges should be included based on that evidence.
The move was in response to a 100-signature-strong petition calling for the Ranges to seek exclusion from the program’s shooting zone.
Residents have raised concerns about the future sustainability of local kangaroo populations, animal welfare, and questioned kill quotas due to commercial market demands.
The Kangaroo Harvesting Management Plan enables the authorisation of commercial kangaroo harvesting in Victoria and sets out the aims, standards and rules for doing so.
MRSC’s director of planning and environment, Rebecca Stockfeld, said the council “does not have municipal level data to inform a submission on animal numbers and quotas or harvest numbers in the shire” nor on animal welfare during harvesting.
Cr Jennifer Anderson gained support for her motion to request evidence from the state government demonstrating how the program is managed in a sustainable and humane way, and how future kangaroo harvesting numbers are calculated.
“When the council did try to engage with the state government about how it was formulating this program in past, we got no response,” she said.
“My understanding is that the Macedon Ranges has a much larger number of kangaroos as part of of this harvesting program than any other region in Victoria. That does concern me.
“We need evidence. Is this the right thing to do in our area? Should we be excluded, or shouldn’t we?”
Cr Alison Joseph had proposed an earlier motion to remove the Macedon Ranges from the program shooting zone, however, councillors largely felt the move would be rejected without evidence.
“Harvesting is not selective culling. It is not aimed at solving road strikes or specifically targeted to solve any other problem. Harvesting is about commercial production,” Cr Joseph argued.
“I believe the entire kangaroo harvesting program needs to redesigned based on a scientific assessment of long-term consequences, and be better monitored and managed.”
The council resolved to seek further information from the state government about the program and encouraged community members to participate in a future review of the state program. That review is expected to occur before the current plan expires in 2028.