Enforcement activities
Our regional compliance activities across Victoria include providing advice to the public on how to comply with Victorian laws, regular patrols, monitoring of permit holders to make sure they abide by licence conditions and investigating reports of alleged wildlife crime.
Severe penalties exist under Federal and State laws for wildlife offences. These reflect the detrimental impact of illegal activities on our environment, wildlife welfare and endangered species.
The value of the Commonwealth penalty unit effective from 1 July 2017 is $210. This unit value will automatically increase in line with the consumer price index every three years after. The value of a penalty unit under Victorian legislation is set by the Department of Treasury and Finance and is updated on July 1 each year. The current value of a penalty unit is $161.19 (as at July 2018).
Current penalties include:
Offence |
Maximum penalty | 2018/19 penalty unit amount |
|---|---|---|
Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 | ||
Importing of regulated live specimens without authorisation (Commonwealth legislation) | 1,000 penalty units or 10 years imprisonment, or both | $210,000 |
Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 | ||
Import, keep or sell a prohibited pest animal without authorisation | 480 penalty units | $77,371.20 |
Wildlife Act 1975 | ||
Possess, breed, trade or display threatened wildlife without authorisation | 240 penalty units or 24 months imprisonment, or both the fine and imprisonment and an additional penalty of 20 penalty units per head of wildlife | $38,685.60 $3,223.80 per head of wildlife |
Possess, breed, trade or display protected wildlife without authorisation | 50 penalty units or 6 months imprisonment, or both the fine and imprisonment and an additional penalty of 5 penalty units per head of wildlife | $8,059.50 $805.95 per head of wildlife |
Hunt, take or destroy threatened wildlife without an authorisation | 240 penalty units or 24 months imprisonment, or both; and 20 penalty units per head of wildlife | $38,685.60 $3,223.80 per head of wildlife |
Hunt, take or destroy protected wildlife without an authorisation | 50 penalty units or 6 months imprisonment, or both; and 5 penalty units per head of wildlife | $8,059.50 $805.95 per head of wildlife |
Failure to comply with the conditions of an authorisation | 50 penalty units | $8,059.50 |
Use of prohibited equipment (e.g. traps) without an authorisation | 25 penalty units | $4,029.75 |
Use of poisons without an authorisation | 100 penalty units or 6 months imprisonment | $16,119.00 |
Disturbing protected wildlife without an authorisation | 20 penalty units | $3,223.80 |
Providing false information in connection with an application for an authorisation | 120 penalty units | $19,342.80 |
Using a gun, bow or other weapon to take wildlife without an authorisation | 50 penalty units | $8,059.50 |
Using a firearm from a motor vehicle, boat or other vehicle in order to take wildlife, without an authorisation | 50 penalty units | $8,059.50 |
Prosecutions
DELWP has achieved significant success with major investigations and prosecutions of environmental offences in recent years.
Compliance cases also regularly go through the magistrate's court system. Infringement notices and fines are also issued for minor offences.