If meat from domestic animals was obtained by shooting at night from a distance with the inherent wounding, the killing of some dependent offspring by bludgeoning and allowing other young to die of predation, starvation or fear, those animals would be off most people’s menu.

As pointed out, nature is cruel, but that is not an excuse for us to imitate it. In fact, animal protection legislation increases by the year as a result of the growing awareness of human ethical responsibility to other creatures.

John Kelly failed also to mention that by keeping the killing of kangaroos as a good thing to do, it encourages the redneck element in society to shoot kangaroos for ‘sport’. Sometimes this comes in the name of overcoming boredom or as a pastime to embrace when there have been a few beers under the belt. This kind of behaviour, as well as being illegal, is rampant all over Australia.

The commercial killing of kangaroos is a throwback to an era where other animals were classified as inanimate objects. We are living in an age where domination of the environment and all within has brought us to the brink of extinction. This industry with its inescapable cruelty and nil ecological benefits should be shut down.

Johatho

Large variations in our kangaroo population are bound to occur.

We need to manage their populations. In a world where supply of food can be scarce, then, we have an obligation to use kangaroo products sensibly. It is so easy to sit back in suburbia and lambast those roo harvesters and the people making a living from this industry. But as Eric Bogle reminds us that "there's no drought or starving stock on a sewered suburban block".

Well thanks to John Kelly for fueling an interesting debate of the Kangaroo meat industry and his push for increased consumption of roo meat.. I would like to see John Kelly respond to the many criticisms of his industry raised by readers in this column.

Chief amongst these would be allegations of involvement by an underworld criminal-element in the wholesale trade in Kangaroo meat, and charges of intimidation by national parks and wildlife management in their alleged attempts to silence high ranking corruption in their own ranks associated with the wholesale trade in kangaroo meat. Not to mention the suspicion of three murders of wholesalers associated with “muscling” for available turf as the roo meat trade gathers importance. ($200million dollars annually).

I also noticed with amusement John Kelly’s attempts to distance himself from the pastoral industry (and as a consequence the National party); but that is another story on which he may wish to elaborate.

Eating kangaroos in replacement for cattle is not a viable option! Nor is continuing to eat cattle. The only environmentally and animal welfare friendly option is veganism.

Kangaroo meat isn't as glossy as was made out in the article. kangaroo meat is associated with high numbers of bacteria and then a huge amount of chemical preservatives to overcome this. there is nothing natural about kangaroo meat.

The kangaroo industry is not sustainable. there are areas across australia where kangaroos are no longer found due to this industry. kangaroos are being killed faster than they can breed. they have a very bleak future and as the figures are currently showing they will istinct within 15-20 years. Also, this industry is completely inhumane with babies being smashed up against rocks or left to die of stravation when their mum is shot. This must be stopped ... to think the eating of kangaroo meat is being promoted is not only sad but very scary.

Facts about the kangaroo industry should be exposed.

please read the book 'Kangaroos Myths and Realities' by Maryland Wilson & David E Croft.

check out these websites:
http://www.wildlifeprotectaust.org.au
http://www.kangaroo-protection-coalition.com

Coms “The only environmentally and animal welfare friendly option is veganism.”

That is your opinion, an extreme view and one not shared or supported by the vast majority of people. The point with animal protein is: you have evolved from generations of people who included meat in their diet. Had they not eaten meat, your brain would not have developed to the capacity it is.

I wonder how many generations of ‘veganism’ it would take before intellectual ability regressed closer to that of a vegetable?

“kangaroo meat is associated with high numbers of bacteria”

And that is why we cook it, like many things, cooking is a recognised and accepted as an effective anti-bacterial process.

“then a huge amount of chemical preservatives to overcome this.”

I am not sure how this can be implied, I am open to hear your suggestion before I shoot it down.

btw CO2 is a common natural preservative which is used in any number of things from meat to donuts, gassing it into a container replaces the oxygen, necessary to sustain bacteria. Salt and vinegar are common chemical preservatives too and have been around for centuries.

“there are areas across australia where kangaroos are no longer found due to this industry.”

Maybe you could identify them and I will check it out. I do note the roo in the wild, generally modifies its numbers in accordance with available food resources. I do note roos are not particularly territorial and do travel across distance to seek new food and water sources, so any place where they are “no longer found” is likely to be repopulated within a short time, provided it can support roos with migrants from areas which it borders.