ORANGE grandmother Gail Copping has criticised the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) for publishing a series of photographs captured by hidden surveillance cameras used to identify illegal hunters in the Mullion and Canobolas state forests.
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The DPI’s Game Licensing Unit (GLU) is asking for the public’s help to identify the vehicles and their owners to determine whether they’re licensed to hunt.
However, Ms Copping says the photos vilify the owners of the vehicles whether they’re doing something illegal or not.
Ms Copping said her three-year-old grandson was in one of the vehicles that appeared in the gallery of 16 photos, posted on the Central Western Daily website on Monday, and the driver, a family friend, was doing nothing illegal at time the CCTV footage was taken.
She said he did not have any dogs on the back of the vehicle either.
“That vehicle wasn’t out there to pig hunt, but to show my grandson, who was in that car, the snow,” she said.
“I personally called the DPI to advise they should get it right before they put up posts that are incorrect.”
Ms Copping said there were strict rules and regulations that had to be adhered to before people could go pig hunting and not everyone involved in the sport was doing the wrong thing.
She says most people “just want to go out and hunt with their mates and give their well-looked-after dogs a run.”
“Most of them are responsible adults who, although maybe not have their R licence, do not go out there to destroy the environment, but to hunt feral pigs, which make more destruction than any of them would do.”
Ms Copping said pig dogs were expensive to buy and owners put a lot of money and time into their training and upkeep, and the majority did not use guns or require a gun license.
She said the DPI was “being feral” by enforcing tight restrictions on pig hunters.
“Once again Big Brother wants you and all you details before you can enjoy yourself"
“Once again Big Brother wants you and all you details before you can enjoy yourself,” she said.
“I feel that the DPI is going to the extreme doing the shame thing by posting the photos of the vehicles that are in the forest.”
GLU compliance officer David Smith said publishing the photos of the vehicles wanted in relation to an investigation into illegal hunting was essential.
“Licensed hunting and pig hunting is permitted (however) it’s part of the DPI’s responsibility to ensure hunters are licensed and follow hunting regulations when it comes to safety and animal welfare,” he said.
“As part of an ongoing investigation we hadn’t been able to identify owners of the vehicles and thought it was important to follow up on this matter, and requested the public’s help to do so,” Mr Smith said.
tracey.prisk@fairfaxmedia.com.au
