(VIC) Rescind the Dingo Unprotection Order

Author: Antonia Imeneo | Publish date: 24/10/2025

Problem Identification: 

In VIC, dingoes (listed as vulnerable) can be killed on private and adjoining public land under a current ‘unprotection order’ in eastern VIC.

Section 7A of the Wildlife Act 1975 (VIC) provides that the Governor in Council may, by Order published in the Victorian Government Gazette, declare a kind of wildlife to be ‘unprotected’ in a specified area and for a specified period. In 2024, Government Gazette No. S 123 declared the dingo as ‘unprotected wildlife’ on private and surrounding land in eastern VIC. 

According to Environmental Justice Australia, this ‘excludes [dingoes] from normal wildlife protection laws.’ They have argued that ‘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’. Further, the Taungurung Land and Waters Council (TLaWC) has stated that the order ‘supports the proactive killing of yirrangan (dingo) on Country’ and that this is ‘despite [dingoes] being listed as a threatened and protected species in Victoria.’

Context: 

An unprotection order refers to an order that authorises the ‘killing or taking of wildlife in accordance with provisions of an [unprotection] Order’. They are generally issued where wildlife is considered to cause damage to property, crops, vegetation, or other animals. However, they are known to exclude certain populations where there is a ‘risk of extinction’.

Dingoes are listed as ‘vulnerable’ under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (VIC) Threatened List. ‘Vulnerable’ is defined as ‘facing a high risk of extinction in the wild in the medium-term future’. 

Professor Euan Ritchie, from the Biodiversity Council, has described alpine dingoes as ‘hurtling towards extinction’. He further stated that this has been supported by ‘population and genetic data, collected by government and multiple independent scientists’. The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action’s Dingo Conservation Status Assessment Summary has revealed the dingo population reduction over the last 3 generations is estimated to be at least 30%. The Assessment Summary also warned that ‘population reduction is expected to continue at the current, or increasing rate’. The Victorian National Parks Association (VNPA) asserted that the ‘estimated population remaining in eastern Victoria is 8,800 animals.’

Arguments:

According to Professor Ritchie, the ‘Unprotection Order risks driving dingo populations to extinction.’ The VNPA has argued that the unprotection order ‘blatantly ignores the evidence of declining Dingo populations’ and reported that ‘last year alone, at least 468 Dingoes were trapped and shot.’

The Australian Dingo Foundation has suggested that the lethal control of dingoes permitted under the unprotection order ‘doesn’t make ecological sense’, underscoring their important role in the ecosystem as an apex predator. Hunter and Letnic, researchers from the UNSW, have linked dingo population suppression to increases in invasive species like foxes and feral cats, which intensify predation on threatened native fauna. Further, Letnic et al., researchers from the University of Sydney and Deakin University, have found that removing or heavily controlling dingoes is directly associated with higher grazing pressures and broader ecosystem impacts. 

Humane World for Animals has argued that ‘non-lethal tools and practices can be an economical and sensible management option for graziers’, compared to the lethal control of dingoes permitted under the unprotection order. Similarly, Landholders for Dingoes, a network of graziers, has reported that maintaining dingo populations could lead to both financial and environmental benefits. As Angus Emmott from Noonbah Station QLD summarised, ‘dingoes help our bottom line by eradicating feral goats, reducing wild pig numbers, and especially by keeping kangaroo numbers down.’

Matthew Shanks of the TLaWC has stated, ‘the Unprotection Order disregards Taungurung lore and our obligations as Taungurung people to care for Country’. TLaWC has said that in the Taungurung language, dingoes are known as Yirrangan and have been described as having deep ancestral associations and honoured as kin within cultural landscapes. With the unprotection order in place, the Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations have emphasised that a commitment has been broken to ‘Traditional Owners’ self-determination and decision-making’.

Advice/Solution Identification:

The Governor in Council should rescind the Order in Council under section 7A of the Wildlife Act 1975 (VIC) so that dingoes cannot be killed on private and adjoining public land in eastern VIC.

The Association for Conservation of Australian Dingoes (AFCAD), the VNPA and the Australian Dingo Foundation have called for this, among others. The AFCAD has said that this could help to improve ecological balance. The TLaWC has further argued that this could help to reduce the risk of extinction.

Precedent:

There is domestic precedent for ending an unprotection order. In March 2024, VIC ended the unprotection order for dingoes in the north west due to ‘new research, strong advice and the effectiveness of non-lethal dingo control methods to protect livestock.’

Download the 1-Page Brief Here - (VIC) Rescind the Dingo Unprotection Order .pdf

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Public Support: 

1. Association for Conservation of Australian Dingoes

2. Barengi Gadjin Land Council

3. Taungurung Land and Waters Council

4. Animals Australia

5. Victorian National Parks Association

6. Defend the Wild    

7. Humane World for Animals

8. Environmental Justice Australia  

9. Biodiversity Council 

10. Australian Dingo Foundation

    
    

News Coverage:

• The Guardian - ‘Alpine dingoes at risk of extinction after Victorian government extends right to cull’. The VIC government extends the unprotection order to 2028, which traditional owners and ecologists warn risks local extinction. By: Petra Stock | Wed 2 October 2024. Read the article here.

• ABC News - ‘Victoria announces extension to lethal control of dingoes, wild dogs in state’s east’. Mixed reactions to the government’s decision to extend the order to 1 January 2028 and invest in monitoring and non-lethal measures. By: Jane McNaughton | Thu 26 September 2024. Read the article here.

• ABC News - ‘North-west Victoria sheep farmer despairs over ‘horrific’ dingo attacks on livestock’. A Mallee producer reports ongoing losses following protection in the north west as non-lethal strategies are trialled. By: Emma Field and Annie Brown | Sun 13 April 2025. Read the article here.

• The Conversation - ‘Dingoes are being culled in Victoria. How much harm to the species is needed to protect commercial profits?’ Legal analysis outlines a Supreme Court challenge and explains how the law weighs necessary harm against commercial interests. By: Danielle Ireland-Piper | Fri 14 February 2025. Read the article here.

Where to go to learn more: 

1. Biodiversity Council Statement on Dingo Protection - Documents Traditional Owner positions and scientific evidence supporting dingo conservation in Victoria, highlighting opposition to the unprotection order from First Nations groups and scientists. View their statement here.

2. Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations Policy Statement - Documents Traditional Owner groups’ unified call for dingo protection and recognition of dingoes as culturally significant species requiring Traditional Owner involvement in management decisions. Read their position here.

3. Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into Ecosystem Decline Report - Made a specific recommendation 28, calling for revoking the dingo unprotection order and supporting non-lethal livestock management strategies. Read the full report here.

4. VIC Government Wildlife Dingoes Page - Provided comprehensive information on dingo populations, genetics research, and current conservation status in VIC, including population estimates showing northwest VIC dingoes at risk of extinction. Access the resource here.

5. Victorian Dingo Action Statement No. 248 - The official government conservation plan for dingoes under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (VIC), which outlined current threats, habitat requirements and conservation objectives for the species. Read the action statement here.

6. Humane Society International Predator Smart Farming Guide - Outlined non-lethal strategies for dingo and livestock coexistence, including guardian animal effectiveness data and successful case studies from Australian farmers. Access the guide here.

Human Perspective: 

Aaron managed a cattle property and once followed the long-standing practice of baiting and shooting dingoes to protect young calves, believing lethal control was the only effective option. Over time, Aaron began to question whether this approach worked, as calf losses persisted and kangaroo and feral goat numbers rose, placing pressure on pastures. He learned that removing dingoes could disrupt pack structures, allowing transient wild dogs to move in and reducing natural control of the herbivores that competed with cattle. Aaron decided to stop broad-scale lethal control and allow resident dingo packs to remain. He treated dingoes as part of the landscape, instead focusing on herd health, close monitoring during calving and managing grazing pressure. Over several seasons, Aaron saw that stable dingo packs helped suppress wild dogs and limit kangaroo and goat populations, while calf losses dropped and pasture conditions improved. Aaron now believes that maintaining stable dingo packs supports healthier ecosystems and more productive grazing, with the benefits of reduced grazing pressure far outweighing occasional stock losses.

To protect the anonymity of those involved, this is a fictionalised account drawn from an amalgamation of real-life stories, experiences and testimonials gathered during the research process for this brief. Any resemblance to actual individuals is purely coincidental.

Conflict of interest/acknowledgment statement: 

N/A

Support 

If your organisation would like to add your support to this paper or suggest amendments, please email Info@foreaustralia.com. 

Reference list: 

Association for Conservation of Australian Dingoes. (2020, August 31). Submission to the Inquiry into Ecosystem Decline in Victoria (No. 678, p. 27) [Redacted PDF]. Parliament of Victoria. https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/4ae6a1/contentassets/b89e2171c2e44b4a9550c26c0dbf80af/submission-documents/s678---association-for-conservation-of-australian-dingoes_redacted.pdf#page=27 

Australian Dingo Foundation. (2024, September 25). Disappointing dingo decision: Killing to continue in Eastern Victoria until 2028 [Media release]. 

https://dingofoundation.org/victoria/

Biodiversity Council Australia. (2024, September 25). Vic Gov ignore wishes and lore of Traditional Custodians and advice of scientists about killing dingoes [Media release]. https://biodiversitycouncil.org.au/news/vic-gov-ignore-wishes-and-lore-of-traditional-custodians-and-advice-of-scientists-about-killing-dingoes?utm_source

Boronyak, L., & Quartermain, E. (2022). Predator Smart Farming: Modernising Australia’s approach to livestock protection. Humane Society International Australia. https://hsi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/HSI-Predator-Smart-Farming-Digital.pdf#page=6 

Environmental Justice Australia. (2023). Dingoes can still be killed across Victoria. https://envirojustice.org.au/dingoes-can-still-be-killed-across-victoria-and-south-australia/ 

Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations. (2025). Country needs dingoes. https://fvtoc.com.au/country-needs-dingoes/

Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations. (2024, September 25). Traditional Owners must be at the heart of managing culturally significant native species [Media release]. https://fvtoc.com.au/documents/traditional-owners-must-be-at-the-heart-of-managing-culturally-significant-native-species/ 

Humane World for Animals Australia. (2024, September 24). Help protect dingoes in Victoria. https://hsi.org.au/australian-wildlife-habitats/dingoes/help-protect-dingoes-in-victoria/ 

Hunter, D. O., & Letnic, M. (2022). Dingoes have greater suppressive effect on fox populations than poisoning campaigns. Australian Mammalogy, 44(3), 387–396. https://doi.org/10.1071/AM21036

Landholders for Dingoes. (n.d.). Landholders for Dingoes. 

https://landholdersfordingoes.org/ 

Letnic, M., Ritchie, E. G., & Dickman, C. R. (2012). Top predators as biodiversity regulators: the dingo Canis lupus dingo as a case study. Biological Reviews, 87(2), 390–413. https://trophiccascades.forestry.oregonstate.edu/sites/default/files/Letnic2012_BR.pdf

Legislative Council Environment and Planning Committee. (2021). Inquiry into ecosystem decline in Victoria, volume 1. Parliament of Victoria. https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/495f95/contentassets/49a77c8206824f2281ccfa8d6fa35587/ecosystem-decline-in-victoria.pdf#page=143 

Premier of Victoria. (2024, March 14). Striking The Balance To Save Threatened Dingo Population [Media release]. https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/striking-balance-save-threatened-dingo-population 

Stock, P. (2024, October, 2). Alpine dingoes at risk of extinction after Victorian government extends right to cull. The Guardian.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/oct/02/alpine-dingoes-at-risk-of-extinction-after-victorian-government-extends-right-to-cull

The Governor in Council (Vic). (2024, October 1). Declaration of the dingo to be unprotected wildlife. (No. S 123). https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/496158/globalassets/tabled-paper-documents/tabled-paper-8525/approved-order.pdf

The Taungurung Land and Waters Council (TLaWC). (2024, 24 September). TLaWC Statement: Yirrangan (dingo). https://taungurung.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/TLaWC-Dingo-statement.pdf?utm

Victorian National Parks Association. (n.d.). Dingoes – persecuted apex predators. https://vnpa.org.au/campaigns/dingoes/

Victorian National Parks Association. (2024, December 4). Dingo decision disgrace – culling continues.

https://vnpa.org.au/dingo-decision-disgrace-culling-continues/?utm_source 

Victoria State Government, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action. (2024). Conservation Status Assessment Summary. https://www.wildlife.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0022/754240/Conservation-Status-Assessment-Summary.pdf

Victoria State Government, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action. (2025, March). Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (Vic) – Threatened list. https://www.environment.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0027/741627/FFG_Threatened_List_March_2025.pdf

Victoria State Government, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning. (2018). Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (Vic): Public authority duty [Factsheet]. https://www.environment.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0031/466681/Public-Authority-Duty-factsheet.pdf

Wildlife Act 1975 (VIC). https://content.legislation.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2025-02/75-8699aa130-authorised.pdf