Update: sadly, the massacre at Belconnen has now taken place, but international pressure has shone a light on Australia's terrible attitude to their wildlife. Still contact the people below, and urge them to call for an end to the annual slaughter of kangaroos for meat and leather.

The slaughter has begun of 400 kangaroos at a disused military base despite international outrage - including the high profile protest by Viva!. This follows tireless work by wildlife campaigners in Australia to try and find a non-lethal solution - from translocating the kangaroos to establishing a wildlife sanctuary on the base. It seems that money has won out, as the authorities now say it would be too expensive to move the kangaroos, and it is reported that the land has been earmarked for redevelopment as housing. Wildlife always loses out to greed.

Unlike the millions of kangaroos that are shot every year in Australia for their meat and skins, the massacre at Belconnen is happening under the glare of the world’s media. Unbelievably, Australia promotes itself using the image of a kangaroo – whilst in the ultimate betrayal clubbing and blasting them off the face of the earth. We know that Australia is extremely sensitive to criticism from overseas, and there is already concern that tourism to Canberra could be negatively affected.

Pictures by Ray Drew. For the latest images from this wildlife massacre visit his site www.kangaroolives.com

Write and complain

The Prime Minister of Australia, Kevin Rudd
Tel: +61 (0)2 6277 7700
Fax: +61 (0)2 6273 4100

Queensland numbers:
Tel: +61 (0)7 3899 4031
Fax: +61 (0)7 3899 5755
Website: http://www.pm.gov.au/contact/index.cfm

The Minister for Defence, Joel Fitzgibbon

Tel: +61 (0)2 6277 7800
Fax: +61 (0)2 6273 4118
Email: J.Fitzgibbon.MP@aph.gov.au

Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support, Dr Michael Kelly AM
Tel: +61 (0)2 6277 4840
Fax: +61 (0)2 6277 8556
Email: ParliamentarySecretaryDS@defence.gov.au

The Minister for the Environment, Peter Garrett
Tel: +61 (0)2 6277 7640
Fax: +61 (0)2 6273 6101
Website: http://www.aph.gov.au/house/members/memfeedback.asp?id=HV4

Email Template:

"As a British citizen I am horrified to read about the barbaric massacre of kangaroos at Belconnen. I urge you to stop before all of them are needlessly killed.

As someone who has considered visiting Australia, my view of your country is rapidly worsening. I am especially horrified to learn that the largest massacre of land animals on the planet takes place in Australia each year when millions of adult kangaroos are shot for their meat and skins. Millions of orphaned baby joeys, "worthless" to the industry, are shot, clubbed over the head, decapitated or abandoned to die. This is no different to clubbing baby seals to death – and it should have no place in a civilised country. It is difficult to believe that Australia promotes itself using the image of a kangaroo – whilst in the ultimate betrayal clubbing and blasting them off the face of the earth.

I understand that the killing of kangaroos happens every day in Australia hidden away in the outback, only this time it’s happening in front of the world’s media.

Please work towards finding a non-lethal solution to the current situation before Australia's international image is irrevocably tarnished."