Protectors of
Public Lands Victoria Inc.
MEDIA RELEASE
On Friday last Protectors of Public Lands Victoria Inc (PPL VIC) members picketed a work site at the St Kilda’s Catani Gardens, attempting to halt Citywide contractors from continuing to install huge metal “exclusion bands” and traps designed to progressively “cull” (read kill) the famous colony of possums living in the 90 year old palm trees. PPL VIC requested that the workers desist from banding the palms so that discussions could take place with Port Phillip Council and put an end to the dispute and save the remaining 30 to 40 possums. Even though a senior member of Victoria Police attempted to arrange a meeting for PPL VIC, Port Phillip Council’s Director of Parks and Gardens refused to listen and demanded that police ensure that works proceed.
For those unaware of the background - the Catani Gardens possums are long-time favourites with Melburnians and overseas tourists who appreciate the unique opportunity of visiting the Gardens at night, hand feeding the possums and so getting close to these friendly, gentle Australian native animals. (Last week FINA international swim teams including the Russians and Germans visited the Gardens and enthused over the possums.) The myopic Port Phillip Mayor and Councillors decreed in February 2006 that, despite its iconic tourist status, the entire possum population was to be evicted from their palm tree homes and so exterminated.
Julianne Bell, PPL VIC Secretary, commented: “Following
the latest round of tree banding many visitors to the Catani Gardens last
Friday and Saturday nights were visibly distressed on seeing possums stranded
in the crowns of the palms. Possums are prevented by the metal bands from
climbing down to feed and are waiting to die by starvation or dehydration. They are at risk of being injured if they
jump to the ground. Visitors simply could not believe that this was happening
to Australian native animals, advertised on tourist websites. We can hardly
believe it either.”
Rod Quantock comic actor and
environmental activist commented: “Port Phillip Councillors’ excuses over
the need for the conquest of the possum colony in the Catani Gardens are a bit
like excuses used by the Bush administration over Iraq – they change all the
time. In the possum case the excuses
have been - possums chew palm fronds and transmit a fungus, possums chew palm
fronds and damage the 103 palm trees and possums overpopulate the Gardens.
These are all patently untrue. After this latest banding exercise there may be
fewer that 15 possums left which spells their demise.”
The finger of blame points not only at the Port Phillip Council for its cruel treatment of animals in their domain but at the Department of Sustainable Environment for its failure to intervene in the interests of “protected” Australian native wildlife. It is also most unfortunate that the Minister for the Environment, John Thwaites, has chosen to ignore this scandal over animal maltreatment in his own electorate even though it has been brought to his attention on several occasions.
Media contact: Julianne Bell, Secretary, Protectors of Public Lands Victoria (PPL VIC) 98184114 or mobile 0408022408 or Rod Quantock (PPL VIC Deputy President) 0438862079