Why is this an issue?

Dingoes are an important part of Dreaming stories and are totems for Traditional Owners in the Wimmera-Mallee region of Victoria, and for many other First Nations across Australia.

They’re also endangered native wildlife, listed as vulnerable to extinction under Victorian biodiversity laws. As apex predators, they are a vitally important part of healthy ecosystems. Across most of Victoria dingoes are already extinct.

Killing these native animals is possible because the law – in the form of a Dingo Unprotection Order – declares dingoes to be ‘unprotected wildlife’ in certain areas of Victoria. This excludes them from normal wildlife protection laws.

Last year, the Victorian Government decided to renew the Unprotection Order, allowing for the continued slaughter of dingoes until 1 October 2024.

Following advocacy from Environmental Justice Australia, First Nations groups and animal welfare organisations, the Victorian Government recently announced the Dingo Unprotection order will conclude in northwest Victoria from 14 March 2024.

The creation of the ‘sanctuary’ comes just in time to save the future of dingoes in Wotjobaluk Nations’ Country, where there are as few as 40 dingoes left.

But, as these beautiful animals do not recognise administrative borders, they can still be killed across the rest of Victoria and if they cross into South Australia.

Traditional Owners and EJA lawyers are calling for full protection of Victorian dingoes, which are being deliberately killed under the mistaken belief that they are feral domestic dogs or feral hybrids that have interbred with domestic dogs. 

Why should dingoes be protected?

Dingoes are an important part of Dreaming stories. They are totems for Traditional Owners in the Wimmera-Mallee region of Victoria, and for many other First Nations across Australia.

But right now, people are allowed to shoot, poison or trap dingoes in the wild across large areas of Victoria and in adjacent reserves in South Australia.

The killing of these top predators can lead to extinctions through the food chain, and an increase of cats and foxes that negatively impact native wildlife in Australia.

On behalf of our clients, EJA lawyers continue to call for the Victorian Government to provide dingoes with the full protection of the law, and work with Traditional Owners, conservationists and scientists to enable recovery of Victorian dingo populations.

What are we doing?

Environmental Justice Australia lawyers are acting on behalf of Traditional Owners from across the Wimmera, Mallee and Gariwerd regions of north western Victoria. 

Our clients have called on the Victorian government to repeal the Unprotection Order on the basis that there are no ‘wild dogs’ in Victoria.

Dingoes should be fully protected by law, in which case killing of dingoes is a wildlife offence. 

Traditional Owners of the Wimmerra-Mallee region also argue that the effect of the Unprotection Order is to deny Traditional Owners cultural rights, including rights to enjoy their identity and culture, maintain kinship ties, and laws and customs. 

On behalf of our clients, EJA lawyers are calling for the Victorian Government to provide dingoes with the full protection of the law, and work with Traditional Owners, conservationists and scientists to enable recovery of Victorian dingo populations.  

“Dingoes should be fully protected by law and shooting them should be a wildlife offence in all parts of Victoria.

Our clients are calling for the full protection of Victorian dingoes, which are being deliberately killed.

It's wrong for the government to change the rules so that threatened animals can be poisoned, shot or trapped in conservation areas across Victoria and South Australia.”

— Senior Lawyer Semisi Tapueluelu