CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS
Ms PENFOLD (Lyne) (16:46): As someone who's seen the best and worst of animal slaughter practices, as a former CEO of the live export industry, I'm absolutely appalled by the New South Wales Minns government's cruelty towards our brumbies. Australians accept that some animals need to be managed. What Australians cannot accept is the use of cruel and brutal methods such as aerial shooting to manage animals.
Shooting horses from the moving platform of a helicopter is difficult and inaccurate. Horses have been discovered hours and days later, still alive, dying slowly from multiple gunshot wounds w, while helpless foals face a slow and lonely death of starvation after their mothers are killed. It's unthinkable that, in an era when we pride ourselves on progress and compassion, we resort to such tactics to manage these horses.
It's extremely concerning that locals and experts have disclosed that population figures have been exaggerated to justify the Minns government's actions. While wild horses typically reproduce at a modest rate of seven-to-15 per cent, the government's figures have them increasing at over 315 per cent. Despite numerous public inquiries into brumby management in Australia, much of the expert advice has been ignored.
Non-lethal control measures like immune contraceptives haven't been given a chance in Australia, despite evidence from elsewhere in the world indicating effectiveness. These horses are part of our nation's story. They are a cultural icon and a beautiful creature that feels fear and pain.
Yet the fate thrown at them is one of violence and suffering. I urge every Australian to contact the Premier of New South Wales and demand an immediate end to this cruelty. If populations need to be managed, then the government must find another way to do it.
I recently visited the Tuncurry Post Office and met with licensees, the Thompson brothers. After sharing the visit on Facebook, I was struck by the response. I've rarely seen such glowing comments about a local business.
These guys are loved because they provide something that Australia Post corporate seems to have forgotten: service. Licensed post offices are not just parcel collection points; they are trusted community institutions, providing banking identity checks, government services and face-to-face support. Yet the Australia Post head office is systemically hollowing out the LPO network.
Around 60 services have reportedly been removed from LPOs this financial year alone, while corporate leadership pursues a parcel focused model that undervalues counter services and the trust that locals have in them. LPOs are blue-chip small businesses and Australia's best last-mile service providers. I'm calling for an immediate moratorium on LPO buybacks, conversions to parcel-agent models and fixed-term contracts until an independent review is conducted into the future of Australia's service led, licensed post office network.
Hollow out head office, not our local licensed post offices.