HELICOPTER SHOOTING HEARING VICTORIAN SUPREME COURT. VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT ATTEMPTS TO SUPPRESS INFORMATION AND STANDING OF PLAINTIFF.
Australians for Animals Inc.
Key Facts:Victorian government seeks to suppress identities of vets, animal welfare experts and other personnel involved in the authorisation to kill over 1000 koalas by helicopter.
HELICOPTER SHOOTING OF OVER 1000 KOALAS AT BUDJ BIM NAATIONAL PARK, SOUTH WEST VICTORIA HEARING IN VICTORIAN SUPREME COURT.
AUSTRALIANS FOR ANIMALS v VICTORIAN DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE ACTION (DEECA).
WHERE: Court 8, William Cooper Justice Centre, Supreme Court of Victoria, 223 William Street, Melbourne.
WHEN: 10.30am, Wednesday, 10 September, 2025
WHY: The Department is applying to the Court for a suppression order over government information about the government’s killing of over 1000 Koalas by aerial shooting, to stop the media accessing the information.
DEECA’s legal representatives have applied for a suppression order which would prohibit the identification of veterinarians, animal welfare experts and other personnel involved in the authorisation.
The hearing, before an Associate Judge, will determine if the suppression order is granted and whether Australians for Animals can proceed with the Judicial Review of the government’s decision to shoot to kill Koalas instead of relocating them. Aside from the seeking the suppression order, DEECA is also arguing that the case brought by Australians for Animals should be dismissed on the basis that the government says the group does not have standing to bring the case.
Australians for Animals has been in existence for over 35 years with its primary focus on koala conservation. The charity is one of the oldest wildlife organisations in Australia and was responsible for listing the Koalas as Threatened under the provisions of the US Endangered Species Act, a three-year research effort peer reviewed by some of Australia’s leading koala scientists.
With a history of campaigns for koalas in NSW, Victoria, and Queensland, AFA has provided lengthy submissions to governments, lobbied politicians, provided financial support for shelters, opposed the exporting of koalas to overseas zoos, visited koala hospitals and researched the growing list of koala diseases, undertaken field trips to native forests to witness the impacts of logging on koala hubs, lobbied internationally for koala conservation and protection. The charity has lobbied extensively for climate refuges for koalas and legal habitat protection. As a former Fairfax investigative journalist, AFA’s co-ordinator has written many articles both within Australia and overseas on the failures of koala protection, she also ran the Sun Herald Koala Fund for a number of years.
The charity’s Facebook page, Koala Crisis has attracted hundreds of thousands of comments on many koala campaigns, raising public awareness and advising on potential campaigns.
A number of campaigns have been undertaken opposing the treatment and lack of protection for koalas in Victoria’s blue gum plantations. Legal action has been requested by the charity. FOI requests have remained unanswered.
AFA has been assisted over its history by a significant number of scientists both nationally and internationally.
In seeking a suppression order over government information about the helicopter shooting DEECA is denying not only transparency but public accountability.
In attempting to censor this information, the future of aerial killing of koalas will potentially remain an undertaking carried out in secret.
Australians for Animals believes the ongoing treatment of koalas in Victoria is a national scandal. The charity is deeply concerned by DEECA’s lack of any transparency and efforts to continue to deny the public its right to know details of the expert advice which permitted the only time any killing of over 1000 koalas by marksmen in helicopters was permitted in Australia. Without ground-truthing, there is no way of confirming this significant number of koalas was killed outright or left wounded together with orphan joeys.
The koala is much loved nationally and internationally as demonstrated by the enormous outpouring of financial support during the 2019-2020 Black Summer bushfires.
This legal case is critically important. It is a public hearing.
For further information please contact: Sue Arnold, Co-ordinator Australians for Animals Inc. on 0408989872 or email: [email protected].
For legal background please contact: Vanessa Bleyer: Phone 039600 4224. Bleyer Lawyers.
8 September, 2025
About us:
Australians for Animals Inc is one of the nation's oldest wildlife charities. it's principal focus is koala conservation. More than 35 years of koala campaigns, submissions, field trips, legal actions, lobbying governments, supported by some of Australia's expert scientists.
Contact details:
email: [email protected]
mobile: 0408989862