Dear Mrs Irwin

Thank you for your letter of 26 November 2009, under reference 232/398, concerning a petition to end recreational hunting on public lands and reserves.

The state and territory governments have primary responsibility for managing wildlife including hunting. The Australian Government becomes involved when the specimen is being exported, the activity occurs on Commonwealth land, or where there is a significant impact on matters of national environmental significance.

The Australian Government supports sustainable use of wildlife where the activity is adequately regulated to ensure that the harvest is ecologically sustainable, does not have a detrimental impact either on the harvested species or their ecosystems, is conducted in a humane manner and is compatible with other management objectives for the relevant area.

The Australian Government does not permit hunting or shooting by members of the public within Commonwealth reserves. Hunting on other public lands is a matter for the relevant slate or territory government.

from the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts, Mr Garrett