The normalisation of violence against animals, particularly through activities like duck shooting, is shamefully far too commonplace in our society. Our Kiwi culture should not be about killing for fun. Western Australia banned duck hunting in 1990, NSW followed suit in 1995 and Queensland banned the practice in 2005. Why are we so far behind?

The Animal Justice Party stands firm in its condemnation of duck shooting. Ducks, along with other native waterbirds, deserve to live their lives peacefully, free from the threat of being injured or killed for the sake of so-called “sport”. Shooting down defenceless birds cannot be justified as entertainment or sport. In fact, it goes against the very essence of what sport represents – fair competition and skilful engagement.

Danette Wereta, General Secretary of the Animal Justice Party, expresses her deep concern, stating, "It's ridiculous to see these grown (mostly) men dressing up like they are going to war and calling it ‘sport’ to shoot a sentient animal out of the sky and making it a family, festive occasion. We wouldn't kill our cat or dog for sport—there really is no difference. There are plenty of things to do for fun instead of killing ducks and causing pain and suffering.”

Currently, three species of native duck are allowed to be shot under the law. It’s then hypocritical to invest millions of taxpayer dollars into efforts aimed at safeguarding our invaluable native bird populations only to have a duck shooting season which can put them at risk.

Hundreds of thousands of ducks are not killed outright but left maimed and wounded, which is cruel and against the humane slaughter laws in the Animal Welfare Act 1999. This Act makes it an offence to kill an animal in a way that causes unreasonable or unnecessary pain or distress.

Wereta comments “It's heartbreaking hearing the shotgun and then seeing the panic as they fall from the sky, alive, and if they are lucky enough to be retrieved, they are swung around by the neck to kill."

The Animal Justice Party urges all concerned citizens to join them in calling for an end to duck shooting across the country by contacting their local MP. Wereta stresses “When MPs get a lot of messages about an important issue they feel under pressure to bring about change. Your emails and even meeting in person will show how many people care about stopping duck shooting”. AJP has an easy to use email template. Simply copy and paste it from the Campaign Resources page on their website, or see AJP social media for details.

As we reflect on our values and priorities as a society, it's crucial to advocate for compassion and respect towards all living beings. Taking children to kill ducks and labelling it as a sport not only desensitises them to the suffering of animals but also perpetuates a cycle of cruelty and disregard for life. It's time to end duck shooting for good and commit to building a future where humans coexist peacefully with wildlife, rather than exploiting them for sport or entertainment.

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