The Case for Public Land Hunting in Western Australia
Western Australian Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party member Rick Mazza recently introduced the Game and Feral Animal Control Bill 2018 to the WA Parliament. In the words of the explanatory memorandum , this bill is, "intended to provide an opportunity for orderly and safe recreational hunting on certain types of Crown land (public land); which in turn will contribute to the control of game and feral animals, and improved biodiversity, on that land." In this piece, I will make a case for why I believe that recreational hunters should be given public land access in WA. One of the first aspects that should be considered is the potential economic benefits that recreational hunting on public land could bring to WA, particularly to regional communities. In 2013, the Victorian Department of Environment and Primary Industries commissioned a study to assess the economic impact of hunting in Victoria. Before the study, it was estimated that hunters contributed $100 million to t