I’M a maths teacher and I want to call out the Sporting Shooters Association of Australia (SSAA) for misusing data from an RSPCA survey on duck hunting in the Gannawarra Times (Duck survey is quackery, January 23, 2024).
Back in early 2022, the RSPCA found many people (25 per cent) undecided, almost half (49 per cent) supporting a ban and a quarter (26 per cent) opposed.
Incredibly, SSAA is falsely claiming the survey shows 62 per cent of voters support duck shooting with mandatory training. But page 16 of the report says that (not surprisingly) this proposal was not even put to those who want a total ban. Among the fence-sitters and supporters of duck hunting, only a minority actually backed the mandatory training plan.
The Game Management Authority’s proposed “mandatory training” involves an online test (easy to cheat).
It’s likely the undecided group is shrinking, given the recent inquiry’s call for a ban. But even in 2022, those wanting a ban were almost twice the pro-duck-shooting group.
Victorians should not be duped by the SSAA’s erroneous claim.
Joan Reilly
Surrey Hills, Victoria
