Deceptive campaign against Australia's commercial kangaroo industry must stop
Kangaroo Industries Association of Australia (KIAA) is calling for an end to the relentless distribution of mistruths about the commercial kangaroo industry, which is putting our native animals and ecosystems at risk.
SYDNEY, June 22, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Kangaroo Industries Association of Australia (KIAA) is calling for an end to the relentless distribution of mistruths about the commercial kangaroo industry and the manipulation of people's good will, which will have a negative impact on our native animals and ecosystems – the opposite of what activists are setting out to do.
It is our responsibility as Australians to use and showcase the abundant natural resources we have at home. And it is the responsibility of governments, regulators and law enforcement as well as businesses to ensure this is done in a sustainable, ethical and safe way.
The commercial kangaroo industry in Australia is a reputable and transparent local operation that abides by some of the strictest wildlife conservation, animal welfare and health and safety standards in the world. It is comparatively small to other meat industries but attracts a lot of attention due the iconic status of the kangaroo.
"We have always welcomed the added scrutiny because we understand that it is a sensitive area and we genuinely care about doing it the right way," KIAA Chair Ray Borda said.
Last year, vegan activist groups from around the world began a targeted campaign to defame and destroy the commercial kangaroo industry in Australia. The campaign centred around a documentary that first aired in the US to an audience most likely to be outraged and with little access to the truth.
The documentary attempts to shock viewers with vision of kangaroo carcasses being processed similarly to other animals we eat. Most importantly, it does not distinguish between commercial harvesting and non-commercial killing of kangaroos and falsely links illegal shootings by unlicensed individuals to the commercial industry. It also uses biased sources to cast doubt on the government management of kangaroo populations and the national Code, developed with respected scientists and animal welfare groups including the RSPCA, detailing the most humane way to kill a kangaroo in the wild. Now restaurants and fashion brands are being pressured to stop selling kangaroo.
"The risk we face is that the commercial kangaroo industry will be shut down because people start to believe these lies. As well as many Australians losing their livelihoods, kangaroo populations would soar and many would die due to a lack of food or they would be culled to control numbers and the bodies discarded.
"If people choose not to eat meat or wear leather, that is entirely up to them. But it is time these groups stop misleading people to push their agenda. Australia needs a sustainable commercial kangaroo industry," Ray said.
Did you know?
1. Kangaroos are not farmed. They live in the wild and are harvested by licensed commercial shooters who have undergone training to ensure accuracy and reduce the impact on young.
2. No threatened species of kangaroos and wallabies are killed by the commercial industry. Only four types of kangaroos with abundant populations are harvested in certain regions of Australia.
3. Kangaroo populations are protected. Annual quotas are set by state governments based on federal population surveys and other factors such as bushfires, drought and disease. These limits are rarely met.
4. Independent inspections of kangaroo carcasses occur before they are passed fit for human consumption. There is no documented case of someone getting ill from the consumption of kangaroo meat.
For a factcheck of the documentary and more information about the industry, visit kangrooindustry.com.au
Media contact: Sarah Parkes +61 426 154 301, [email protected]
SOURCE Kangaroo Industries Association of Australia
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