Union launches petition against zoo cuts

The Community and Public Sector Union has launched a petition against a reported Zoos Victoria plan to cut 70 full-time jobs as part of a restructure of the statutory organisation.

Zoos Victoria, which runs Werribee Open Range Zoo, Healesville Sanctuary and Kyabram Fauna Park as well as Melbourne Zoo in Parkville, has indicated it will cut 70 full-time jobs across all four facilities, which could mean 100 staff overall when part-time roles are included, according to the union.

CPSU secretary Jiselle Hanna said every part of the zoo, from conservation work to education and animal care, would be affected by the cuts, either directly or indirectly.

In addition, she claimed staff had been subjected to unfair stress over recent weeks because of a lack of transparency about the planned restructure, with some employees told they would be made redundant, only for that to change days later.

The union’s online petition claimed that animal hospital admin staff who do community response and animal data entry work were being cut, with the work “pushed onto” vets.

Front-of-house staff were to be replaced with digital ticketing machines, it said, and education staff were being let go despite the importance of the zoo’s school programs.

“Zoos are public assets, not money-making machines … they only operate at a high standard for the public when they are invested in properly,” Ms Hanna said, urging the public, especially members of the zoo, to sign the petition signalling “that decimating staff will not be tolerated”.

Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell, speaking in State Parliament, said Zoos Victoria had failed to confirm that emergency response and conservation programs, including those working with threatened species, would be exempt from the cuts.

A Zoos Victoria spokesperson said a consultation process was in progress and no decisions about the number or nature of roles to be cut had been finalised.

“We won't be commenting further until that process is complete,” they said.

The organisation recorded a $5.5 million deficit in its 2024-25 annual report, which showed that of an income of just under $146 million, nearly $93 million, or 63 per cent, came from the zoos’ commercial operations last year.

Government and other grants made up just 26 per cent, with other sources such as sponsorships, grants and donations adding another 10 per cent.

Employee costs were shown at $85.6 million, or 66 per cent, of Zoos Victoria’s overall service delivery cost of $128 million for the financial year.

“Strong commercial approaches to secure financial sustainability” was listed as a component of the organisation’s vision. •