Federal parliamentary defence secretary Mike Kelly has admitted he was not told by his own department the controversial Majura kangaroo cull had started.
Dr Kelly told The Canberra Times he did not know shooting had begun on May 5, and did not find out about it from Defence until the following day.
He said he insisted the public had a right to know the cull was under way, given the level of public interest in the issue, and instructed Defence to issue a media statement. But he could not explain why Defence failed to alert the public for another two days.
''I think they felt like they didn't need to do anything they just wanted to crack on with it and get the job finished. But I felt it [a media statement] was the right thing to do,'' he said.
For more, pick up a copy of today's Canberra Times.
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