On Wednesday 5th May 2021 an estimated 500 people gathered on the steps of Parliament House to deliver a Petition with 179,000 signatures to the Victorian Government Minister for Environment, Lily D'Ambrosio.
Ms D'Ambrosio did not attend the meeting and instead the Petition was accepted by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Michael O'Brien who attended the Steps of Parliament House with his Ministerial colleagues, Wendy Lovell MP, Bridget Vallence, Bill Tilley, the Leader of the Nationals Peter Walsh and Bev McArthur. We are very grateful for the support of the Coalition Party who have done much for the protection and conservation of Victorian Brumbies and we hope will find a way for the introduction of a Bill for Legislation in the near future.
The Petition calls for an end to any plans to ground or aerial shoot wild living horses in National Parks and for the introduction of a Bill The Victorian Heritage Brumby Bill, that will enactLegislation to acknowledge the Heritage value of Brumbies, (descendants of horses that were sent to World War 1 with our soldiers) and to protect that Heritage value in our Heritage National Parks, with sustainable managed mobs of wild living Brumbies for all future generations.
This is a long overdue enactment and is mirrored in a Lonergan survey that revealed over 87% of Victorians seek more research into the impacts of ALL animals in National Parks, rather than an unwarranted blanket vilification of Heritage Brumbies.
Brumbies are part of our cultural history and much loved by all Victorians who are repulsed by the proposed cruelty and inhumane treatment of a much loved icon. The cruelty and shooting is avoidable with Legislation.
The Lawyer drafted Bill provides for the preservation and conservation of Brumbies while respecting the National Park Act to protect the values of the Park and will be managed by Parks Victoria in conjunction with a Community Advisory Panel consisting of Brumby and other equine experts, vets, representatives of tourism and the Minister for Environment.
Brumby Action Group
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