Replies

Station: 3AW Date: 17/05/2002
Program: DRIVE Time: 1630
Compere: STAN ZEMANEK
Summary ID: M00006980494
Item: CULL OF KANGAROOS AT PUCKAPUNYAL ARMY BASE: INTERVIEW WITH DR.HUGH WIRTH, RSPCA

ZEMANEK: Is it true also that the land really can only take 40 or 50,000 kangaroos, but in actual fact there's over 100,000?

WIRTH: There is certainly over 100,000. The estimates are guesstimates about what is sustainable. The Army, up to date, has failed to produce a kangaroo management plan for their base. They have now promised a draft kangaroo management plan on Monday. A copy will be given to the Department and to the RSPCA to approve or disapprove, as the case may be, and it will be then that they'll produce the facts on sustainability.

ZEMANEK: What do you think about the animal active protesters who have said, and I quote: they will put their bodies on the line to stop the cull?

WIRTH: Well, that's ridiculous. It's not helping the kangaroos. Look, we have a major crisis at Puckapunyal. There is a great deal of suffering, and the Western cultural ethic is when you've got an animal suffering you put it out of its misery. Now, if they like to stand in front of the guns, so be it, but I hope that the Military Police attend to them.

[snip] Hi fellow clear-thinkers. And thanks to John for this clarification. The roo cull is necessary/good for the environment, and for the overall roo population. Letting them lay to rot, or bulldozing them is a BLOODY CRIMINAL ACT. I'll bet that the volunteer service providers to the poor and homeless in Victoria would not turn up their noses at the opportunity to get their hands on a hundred tonnes of high quality protein. Why can't the Federal & Victorian Govts. get off their collective arses and fast-track an approval arrangement with DNRE for Pucka - as an emergency measure ? XXX

---------- From: "John Kelly"
Reply-To: "John Kelly"
Date: Mon, 20 May 2002 13:51:45 +1000
To: XXXXXXXX
Subject: Re: Hugh Wirth on roo cull

Vic does not have a Federally approved management plan for roos so there is no possibility of them entering commercial trade, it will all be shoot and let lay

John Kelly
Kangaroo Industries Association of Australia
Email kiaa@bigpond.net.au
website http://www.kangaroo-industry.asn.au
----- Original Message -----
From: XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
To: YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
Sent: Monday, May 20, 2002 1:35 PM
Subject: FW: Hugh Wirth on roo cull

I wonder if the RSPCA will ask the Feds that they be paid for having their "inspectors" present. I would have thought, what with the reported potential closure of at least one animal shelter in Victoria, that the RSPCA could well use their resources in a more effective way than swanning around Pucka for three months. I hope that the roos are going to be processed and not "let lay". What is the story JK - any way to utilise the roos??[snip]