AVA Submission to NSW Inquiry on the Game & Feral Animal Legislation Amendment (Conservation Hunting) Bill 2025

The AVA was invited to provide a submission to the Inquiry into Game and Feral Animal Legislation Amendment (Conservation Hunting) Bill 2025.

Inquiry Terms of Reference are that:

(1) the Game and Feral Animal Legislation Amendment (Conservation Hunting) Bill 2025 be referred to the Standing Committee on State Development for inquiry and report.

(2) That the committee report by 10 October 2025.

The objects of the Game & Feral Animal Legislation Amendment (Conservation Hunting) Bill are:

1. to amend the Game and Feral Animal Control Act 2002 to—

1. abolish the Game and Pest Management Advisory Board and replace it with the Conservation Hunting Authority, and
2. recognise and make provision for a right to hunt, and
3. abolish restricted game hunting licences and replace those licences with conservation hunting licences, and
4. provide that national park estate land must not be declared as land on which hunting is permitted,

b. to amend the Crown Land Management Act 2016 to establish the Crown land that is available for hunting and the mechanisms by which Crown land may be made available for hunting.

The AVA submission was informed by AVA policies and developed through consultation with the AVA NSW Division Committee, the Australian Veterinarians for Animal Welfare and Ethics (AVAWE) Committee, the Australian Veterinary Conservation Biology (AVCB) Committee, and the AVA NSW membership.

The AVA submission does not support proposed amendments in the Game & Feral Animal Legislation Amendment (Conservation Hunting) Bill 2025, and provides the Inquiry information and comment on:

• Key Statements from AVA Policies:
  • AVA Statement of principles – animal welfare and ethics 
  • Hunting
  • Control of native and introduced animals causing damage to agriculture or habitat
  • Considering welfare of target and non-target animals in planning vertebrate control programs 
  • Control of feral horses and other equidae 
• Feedback on Bill Objectives and Proposed Amendments:
  • Schedule 1:

1. provide for a right to hunt for cultural, recreational or invasive species management purposes, in accordance with other relevant laws
2. require land managers when making a land management decision to consider hunting rights and whether hunting is feasible on the land.
3. dissolve the Game and Pest Management Advisory Board, establish the Authority, and outline the membership, procedures and functions of the Authority. The Authority's functions would include advising on game and feral animal management, representing licensed hunters, and promoting research into feral and game animals, including the benefits of hunting.
4. prohibit the declaration of national park estate land as being available for hunting.

• Schedule 2 proposes to amend the Game and Feral Animal Control Regulation 2022 to insert references to general game hunting licences and conservation hunting licences.
• Schedule 3 proposes to amend the Crown Land Act to enable hunting on designated areas of Crown land, including to:

1. prescribe areas of Crown land to be reserved for hunting and set criteria for identifying suitable land
2. require hunters on Crown land to hold a relevant licence and have the Minister's permission
3. require land managers to consider hunting when preparing or reviewing management plans for designated land
4. set out a list of designated land available for hunting.

• Schedule 4 proposes to amend the Forestry Act 2012 to include promoting hunting in forestry areas as an objective and requiring consultation with the Authority on certain management plans. It also proposes to amend the Weapons Prohibition Act 1998 to recognise conservation hunting as a genuine reason for possessing or using a weapon.

• Matters for further consideration, including:
  • Animal welfare
  • Effectiveness of recreational shooting on invasive species management
  • Legislative harmonisation
  • Categories for hunting purposes: recreation, food, cultural, invasive species control
  • Bounties for pest control
  • Bow hunting
  • Hunting using dogs
  • Lead ammunition
  • Public Safety
  • Kangaroos and other native fauna

The AVA’s full submission can be viewed here.