• Vinifera Forest
• Koorangie (includes Bael Bael, The Marshes and Yassom)
• Lake Leaghur
• Lake Elizabeth
• Lake Merran
• Lake Wandella
• Mystic Park Forest
• Johnsons Swamp
• Woolshed Swamp
• Red Gum Swamp (Gannawarra)
• Tang Tang Swamp
• Thunder Swamp
• Dingee
• Loch Garry
• Kanyapella Basin
• Reedy Swamp (Shepparton)
• Wallenjoe (Corop)
• Barmah Forest
• A large part of Gunbower Forest

In addition, there are thousands of hectares of State Forest along the Ovens, Murray, Goulburn and Avoca Rivers that will no longer be available to hunters and other recreational users if the VEAC recommendations are implemented. 

EAC have stated that they acknowledge that changes in categories of public land status will adversely affect some individuals and groups. As a result, VEAC recommend that the Government provide assistance to minimise those effects. At the presentation meeting on the 19th July, it was acknowledged that duck hunters were one of the most seriously effected groups.

INDIGENOUS INVOLVEMENT:

It is proposed to increase resourcing and capacity building to support increased involvement of traditional owner groups in public land management and decision making. Indigenous groups will be given co-management and some park management committees may have majority aboriginal membership.

Traditional cultural practice is viewed as one of the key ways that aboriginals may keep their culture alive and teach younger generations.

VEAC recommends that
“Policies and legislative restrictions inhibiting traditional cultural practice on specified areas of public lands and water be amended to provide for aboriginal traditional owners to undertake the following activities for personal, domestic, and non commercial communal use”
a) hunt (including using firearms), gather collect and fish,
b) collect earth materials, and
c) conduct a cultural or spiritual ceremony, including (if required) having exclusive use of specified areas for a specified time.

CATTLE GRAZING, TIMBER INDUSTRY & CAMPING

• Approximately 1800 grazing licences will be cancelled within the study area.Camping will be severely limited and only be available in managed areas.
• Camp fires and firewood collection will be banned.
• There will be severe job cuts in the Timber industry and Red Gum furniture production industry.
• Other activities that will be severely restricted or banned include: Horse riding, Four Wheel Driving, Trail Bike riding and dogs.
  

CONSULTATION TO DATE:

The severity of the impact on hunters in the draft recommendations has come as a complete surprise to every stakeholder involved in the consultation process to date.

FGA has participated in public meetings conducted by VEAC since this investigation started in 2005. FGA and a number of branches made submission during the initial consultation phase.

SSAA (Vic) has representation on the stakeholder reference committee and has liaised with FGA.

The Victorian Hunting Advisory Committee (VHAC) met with the VEAC and was briefed on the investigation process with little detail of the proposed outcomes. The VHAC met the same day as the VEAC recommendations were being announced and had no knowledge of the extent of the proposals as they apply to game management in Victoria.

The draft proposals have come as a complete shock to all stakeholders involved. The recommendations are at odds, and conflict heavily with Government policy for recreational hunting, in particular duck hunting.

The proposals put at risk game management initiatives that were signed off by Minister Thwaites prior to the State election in 2006.

VEAC COMMUNITY MEETINGS:

Community meetings conducted by VEAC will be held at the following venues:

Shepparton
- 6 August, Shepparton Golf Course, 3-7 pm

Cohuna
- 7 August, Gannawarra Shire Building, 3-7 pm

Echuca
- 8 August, Comfort Resort, Moama, 3-7 pm

Nathalia
- 13 August, Community Centre, 3-7 pm

Mildura
- 14 August, Quality Motel, 3-7 pm

Swan Hill
- 15 August, Best Western Resort, 3-7 pm

Wangaratta
- 16 August, Old Town n Country Tavern, 3-7 pm


Members of the public are encouraged to attend and voice their concerns face to face with VEAC representatives.

HOW TO HAVE YOUR SAY:
-
Make a submission to VEAC, refer submisssion information below
-
Visit your local state members of parliament and let them know how the proposals will impact on you and your family, refer parliamentary contact lists below
-
Write a courteous letter to the Minister asking him to refute the VEAC's proposals to ensure that hunters can continue to hunt and undertake environmental works on Victorian Public land. Also point out that the proposals are at odds with the Victorian Game Management Initiative.
-
Be prepared to assist your organisation in providing local information on hunting areas or other activities that may be planned.
-
Let your family and friends know the issues, paricularly non-hunter friends who may not realise that many of their activities will be severely restricted.



HOW DO I MAKE A SUBMISSION:

SUBMISSION CLOSE FRIDAY 21 SEPTEMBER 2007

There is no prescribed format for submissions. Submissions range from half-page letters, to larger documents. You can also complete the enclosed VEAC submission form.

Submission should be sent to VEAC using one of the methods listed below. Only submissions sent directly to VEAC can be treated as a submission.

BY EMAIL -
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

BY POST, addressed to -

Director
Victorian Environmental Assessment Council
8 Nicholson Street
East Melbourne, Vic 3002

BY FAX -
(03) 9637 8024

FURTHER INFORMATION -
Other enquires can be made by contacting VEAC on

(03) 9637 9902 or Toll Free (outside metropolitan areas)

on 1800 134 803 or visit www.veac.vic.gov.au

The information you provide in your submissions, or any other response, will be used by VEAC only in the development of its River Red Gum Forests Investigation Final Report.

All submission will be treated as public documents and will also be published on the Internet for public access. Addresses, phone numbers and email details will be removed from individual submission before they are published.

Where confidentially is specifically requested, submissions will be treated as confidential but will be released when required by law such as for Freedom on Information requests or court proceedings.

(Source: FGA)