Field & Game Australia's response to the IHM framework was submitted to the GMA on the 6th of January and the full response can be viewed via the link below or on the GMA Website. FGA will continue to advocate on behalf of our members for clarity on how the data inputs have resulted in a recommendation of full-length season and only a 4 bird bag limit.

It is worth considering that the IHM by its own name is "interim", agile and able to be influenced or refined to some extent by the genuine stakeholder engagement with the working group over the next three years. Hunter representation is spread across the three organisations of FGA, SSAA Vic and ADA and there is solid alignment in the approach. 

Positives of the new model –

• If correctly implemented the model has reduced political and emotive input
• Increased opportunity for hunters to hunt by implementing a full season length

Concerns – 

• The suggested 4 bird limit - 
  While FGA understands the recommendation considers an aggregate point score system over three years – not just this year’s data - we are very concerned that a 4 bird bag in the second good year in a row suggests the model is being set up to be overly conservative, and that under this model a 10 bird limit seems unachievable.
   
• The model may be needlessly being over-complicated - 
  Again – there seems to be an ultra-conservative undertone in the data being used – which is creating needless overcomplication.
  Some assurance that future years may move away from using the unfit EAWS data, and more heavily depending on the data from more robust helicopter surveys/ARI data would be appreciated.
  FGA feels this would lead to a more effective and transparent Harvest model.
  
  You can read the full FGA response including all the points we consider as positive vs negative below.