Field & Game Australia fully supports the captive breeding and release of orange-bellied parrots.
Our wholistic approach to wetland management and rehabilitation is quite clear on encouraging ALL species of Australian native wildlife to utilise our wetlands and thrive.

FGA has previously had involvement with the release program – and we have made steps towards deliberately introducing both habitat trees and feeding plants at our Connewarre Wetland Centre.

Orange-bellied parrots have been released for the past five years without incident – yet this year the ministers deem a closure of the site to be necessary!

Last year the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority noted 36 birds were released at two sites, then stated: “We are thrilled by the success of this first release at Lake Connewarre. Monitoring indicates 11 of the released orange-bellied parrots at Lake Connewarre were known to be surviving one month post-release. By the end of June, five migrating orange-bellied parrots had been seen with released birds in Lake Connewarre at different times over the two months.”

So, not only did the released birds not “abandon the release site” – but they were joined at Connewarre by wild birds.

NOTE: All this took place during an active hunting season, with the Connewarre State Game Reserve open to hunters.

The premier’s office said on May 12, 2022:
“Supported by the success of the trial, this autumn will see the largest flock of orange-bellied parrots migrate to Victoria in 15 years, with over 140 expected to fly north from their Tasmanian breeding grounds.”

Lily D’Ambrosio stated: “In the last five years this species has gone from being at imminent risk of extinction in the wild to numbers in the wild being at a 15-year high, thanks to this innovative release program.”

So the past five years of trial releases have been highly successful. FGA is not aware of any direct conflict between hunters and orange-bellied parrots, and there is no evidence of any disturbance. Even so, FGA could have supported a strategic closure of particular points close to release sights – but the closure of the entire SGR is heavy handed and a gross overreach. The catchcry of “precautionary” is being used for all things that in fact are unnecessary.

Once again we appeal to the Labor party to hold their ministers accountable – an appeal we have also made regarding the setting of the native game bird hunting season in our submission to the Select Committee looking into the Victorian Native (game) Bird Hunting Arrangements.

If you are interested in the plight of the orange-bellied parrots and the release program, you can find out more by clicking on the following links:
https://nre.tas.gov.au/conservation/threatened-species-and-communities/lists-of-threatened-species/threatened-species-vertebrates/orange-bellied-parrot/the-obp-tasmanian-program

https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/new-orange-bellied-parrots-join-record-flock