THE use of lead shot in hunting is a serious matter that requires urgent attention from the government.
When lead shot is fired, it can be scattered over a wide area, contaminating soil, water, and wildlife. Unlike other types of ammunition, lead shot does not break down and can remain in the environment for hundreds of years.
Studies show plants and animals can take up the lead from the soil and water, which can accumulate in the food chain and pose a threat to human and animal health.
Lead exposure is particularly dangerous for young children and unborn babies, as their developing brains and nervous systems are more susceptible to the harmful effects.
Even low levels of lead exposure can cause serious and permanent harm to a child’s cognitive and intellectual development.
Lead exposure can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties and behavioural problems. In pregnant women, lead exposure can result in premature birth, low birth weight and developmental issues in the unborn baby.
Lead can affect a child’s ability to concentrate and learn, leading to poor academic performance. Exposure to lead can also affect a child’s behaviour, causing irritability, aggressiveness and other behavioural problems, as well as physical symptoms such as abdominal pain, vomiting and muscle weakness.
Despite the well-known dangers of lead, it is still allowed to be used, putting the health of children and unborn babies at risk.
It is not a question of whether or not individuals have the right to hunt or own guns, but rather a lack of responsibility on the part of the government and those who promote “responsible hunting”.
The use of lead shot has been banned for decades in duck shooting due to its harmful effects, yet it is still permitted in other forms of hunting such as quail shooting.
Many hunters may unknowingly expose their families to the dangerous effects of lead by bringing back contaminated food.
Why isn’t the Victorian Government taking action to ban the use of lead shot? Instead, the Victorian Government allows it to be sold in gun shops across the state and the Greens are silent.
Timothy Cole
Castlemaine
