Vic big cat report derided

Former Victorian agriculture minister Joe Helper has ridiculed the Government's big cat hunt, according to the Weekly Times.

Parliament resuming last week enabled Labor MPs to question the value of the search.

Mr Helper (pictured) suggested Agriculture Minister Peter Walsh introduce a bounty on the big cats, as he has with foxes.

"Given that the minister is continuously espousing the virtues of the Coalition Government's fox and wild dog bounty, I think it is only fitting that a bounty be introduced for Victoria's big cats," he said.

Mr Helper also said the Government's desktop search for the big cat, by checking old files, photographs and reports, was doomed to failure.

"I worked in the Department of Primary Industries building in which he now has his ministerial office," he said. "A desk search will not identify a big cat in that building."

Meanwhile, big cat sightings have continued in the past week.

Steven Brown of Hastings said he was hunting for rabbits on his block and saw a big black cat. "Its head was so big, it was four times the size of the biggest feral cat I have ever seen."

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I saw a Bunyip in West Gippsland the other night. Ted ought to be investigating these fascinating creatures as well.

Posted by: Riddley Walker of Inland 03:19pm Wednesday 5th

Myself and my partner both saw a panther / puma sized black cat - it crossed the princess hwy between colac and birregurra in front of our car just on dusk, i took note of the area during the day and there were plenty of calves and lambs also plenty of cover in the area - foothills of the otway ranges. it was about 8 yrs ago now, i was a sceptic until i saw one myself - and the fact that we both saw the same thing proves i was not imagining it.

Posted by: Evan Dalton 10:50am Wednesday 5th