YEAR 2005: In The War-Zone With Laurie Levy And The Coalition Against Duck Shooting

by Claudette Vaughan

The third weekend in March ever year is the opening of the 2005 Duck shooting season.

Q.  What went on down on the waterlands this year Laurie?

A.  Last Friday night the Coalition Against Duck Shooting conducted a survey to see at which wetland most of the shooters would be heading.  The toss-up was between Hirds and MacDonalds,  the prime two shooting spots in Victoria.   Because there were more shooters on MacDonalds we hit them unannounced at 5am on Saturday morning.

Rescuers went into the water to ward off the waterbirds and move birds off before the shooting started.   There was approximately 80 shooters present and we had about 110 rescuers. I can tell you that on the day the shooters were pretty angry we were there.   A number of rescuers were assaulted.  In fact one rescuer had a gun pointed at him so he photographed that shooter.  That image has now gone to all Labor politicians.

Q.  How many police were present?

A.  About 40.  From our point of view it’s a lot safer having the police there because shooters don’t drink as much.

Q.  Two swans got shot this year which is illegal.  And 40 birds were brought in injured or dead.  Is that correct?

A.  Yes.   The swans were attacked by the shooters dogs.    If you go back 10-15 years we used to bring in 50-70 swans on Opening day.

Q.  Historically you and your team have been rescuing since 1986.   It’s a credit to you that only 80 shooters  showed up. How come you have had successes where, for instance,  in America and New Zealand,  shooters haven’t been challenged in any significant way?

A.  I think our tactics and strategies have been very effective over the years.  When we first went out onto the wetlands there was only 15 rescuers and 95,000 duck shooters in 1986.   You might say how can 15 rescuers ever be effective against 95,000 shooters.  It’s because all the media came out.  The campaign received maximum media coverage right through-out Australia.  

Q.  Grahame Eames has said he thinks the Victorian State Minister Steve Bracks is on their side.

A.   I think Steve Bracks is too. The reason why the campaign has worked is for only two main reasons.  First,  courage and commitment of the rescuers over the years and second,  the shooters had far more money than what we ever had but I think we were able to out-media them. 

Q.   You’re a media man yourself.  What are some of the tricks of the trade activists should be aware of when dealing with the media on animal issues and direct action?

A.   With the media you have always have to be totally honest otherwise your credibility’s at stake.

Q.  So there can be no spin involved?

A.   No.  Totally honest.  It’s best to downplay things.  I see campaigns through the eyes of a television camera person.  You, as activist,  have to provide the media with powerful stories.

Q.  What you have managed to do over the years for the media is create a visual image of a defenseless waterbird being hunted down by gun-touting stalkers intent on living out their testosterone filled fantasies of “life with nature”. Paradoxically they only achieve this by destroying nature.

A.  The media gives you the opportunity to take on your opponents head to head,  one on one.  It doesn’t matter how much money the other side has,  it’s who wins that debate.  If you lose the debate,  you lose.  If you win,  you’ve got a good chance of winning your issue.

Q.  Grahame Eames said shooters from overseas are very concerned about animal liberationists in this country and also the rise and rise of the Green movement.  Actually, you know you’re doing your job when they are as rattled as this.  

A.   The important thing in Australia is you can go to the wall and fight an issue and it might cost you money.  You might lose a lot financially even, but you don’t normally lose your life through it.  If you are fighting issues in other countries you can often lose your life.   The point I’m making is this: If you are going to take on your enemy, you’ve got to be prepared to put in the time doing it and you’ve got to be persistent.

Q.  You attract a loyal cabal of rescuers every year at the Opening season that never let you down.   Where do these activists come from?

A.   Our rescue team is made up from people from all walks of life.  We have doctors,  carpenters,  members of the public – all kinds of people join us.

Q.  You’ve had another coup with Labor politicians I believe?

A.  Yes.  Two years ago a new strategy came out and that was the grassroots members of the Labor party were really angry with their politicians so they formed the ALP Members Opposed to Duck Shooting group.   So instead of fighting the issue internally they have been challenging their own politicians though the media.   They are very much on-side with us.   The old Labor party stood against injustices.  They stood for the under-dog.  The problem with the present Labor party is they are more like a conservative party.  The grassroots members of the Labor party are prepared to stand up for our native waterbirds which has been a wonderful asset to us.

Claudette:   How many ducks were killed this year?

Laurie: You can never know.  The strategy right from day one was to reduce the number of duck shooters.  That’s where the big saving of waterbirds really came in. Over the years we have always had a policy to go in against the shooters and play it hard.   Whatever they hit you with, you hit them back twice as hard.  That’s the only way to play the game.

Update: On the 10 August 2005 Queensland became the third state to ban the recreational shooting of native waterbirds and Quail.