Proposed Government ban on Heli-hunting was well signalled by United Future.

A small group of Helicopter operators who have been pushing the helihunting issue are now crying foul and trying to argue their case by using a legal Council as reported in the Otago Daily Times on Saturday.

Peter Dunne leader of United Future had more than a mandate to seek an end to this abhorrent practice with appalling animal welfare issues says Alan Simmons, United Future Outdoors Candidate.

Alan Simmons said that if the media or the helihunters themselves had of attended one the many election meetings held all over New Zealand they would have seen halls full of angry outdoors people cheering and clapping when United Futures helihunting policy was announced.

Mr Simmons said that hunters had been frustrated and angry over the lack of concern or consultation by the Department of Conservation. Hunters, Outdoors people and people with no interest in hunting were disgusted when the department had stated "Animal Welfare issues were not their concern". In many country halls around NZ people had asked why the media had ignored this issue and were demanding action from United Future.

At many meetings the audience also had been very critical of DoC for allowing such cruelty to be perpetrated on public land.
Alan Simmons asked, What gives these few operators more rights than all the outdoors people of NZ?
How could a handful of helicopter operators hold thousands of recreational hunters (who in effect own the land ) to ransom?

United Future well and truly signalled its intent to stop helihunting and was honouring its promise made to those who attended their meetings.

Mr Simmons who is a past National President of the Registered Professional Hunting Guides Assn said that international hunters would go back to hunting Thar on private land as they did in the past without any financial loss to NZ, in fact it will be a considerable gain as many international hunters will not hunt Thar in NZ now because of our reputation for shonky hunting practices.

The Himalayan Thar is classed as a 'near threatened species' and are protected worldwide but made a home in the Southern Alps of New Zealand and consequently were declared a pest, resulting in hunters from all over the world visiting New Zealand to hunt them. Most international hunting groups and animal welfare groups are opposed to helihunting and in some cases have banned animals taken this way from their record books or awards.
The whole business of Helihunting had been bought about by a few greedy helicopter operators looking for a quick dollar at the expense of the rest of the New Zealand Hunting Guided Industry and recreational hunters.

Peter Dunne is to be congratulated for including this in the supply agreement and I am sure John key as Minister of Tourism also realised the merits of stopping this before it becomes an embarrassment to New Zealand on the international stage.

ENDS

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