It is difficult to understand your decision to cut some $65 million from the state's firefighting budget as we head into a dangerous bushfire season, while at the same time you will again waste millions of taxpayers' dollars funding a 2013 duck shooting season for a dwindling number of duck shooters, who make up only 0.4 per cent of Victoria's population.

Surely it is a matter of priorities. It's a no-brainer, Premier. The safety of country Victorians must come first.

If Victoria's duck shooters were good citizens, Premier, they would be lobbying you to suggest that you call a moratorium on duck shooting in 2013, so that you can redirect the millions of taxpayers dollars that will again be wasted causing pain and suffering to our native waterbirds, to our brave firefighters, who put their lives on the line every summer protecting country Victorians.

Laurie Levy

Coalition Against Duck Shooting