DELWP’s Major Operations and Investigations Unit administers authorisations to conduct controlled operations that can be made under the Wildlife Act.
Inspection findings
The VI did not inspect any DELWP files as DELWP did not make an application for an authority to conduct a controlled operation during the period covered by this report, and nor were there any historical issues that needed to be addressed.
In this report, the VI’s assessment of the extent of DELWP’s compliance with the Wildlife Act is limited to whether the reporting requirements of section 74O of the Act were met.
Comprehensiveness and adequacy of the secretary's report
Section 74O(1) of the Wildlife Act requires DELWP to report to the VI, as soon as practicable after 30 June and 31 December and no more than two months after each date, on the details of its authorised operations conducted during the preceding six months.
While DELWP submitted the report for the 1 July to 31 December 2020 period in accordance with the statutory timeframe, the report for 1 January to 30 June 2021 period (due 31 August 2021) was received late—on 13 September 2021. The VI acknowledges DELWP’s delay in making this report was the result of a staff change and it has since provided the VI with multiple contacts to ensure it can respond promptly to any correspondence from the VI. The VI expects no future recurrence of this type of issue.
Each report made to the VI pursuant to section 74O of the Act met all reporting criteria and stated that no controlled operations were undertaken by DELWP during the six-month period covered by the report.
Work and activities of DELWP
DELWP conducted no controlled operations during the period 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021. No controlled operations have been undertaken by DELWP for at least the past eight years.
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