KANGAROO: A LOVE-HATE STORY

Australia, 2018, 100 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Kate Mc Intyre Clere, Michael Mc Intyre.

For audiences who want to see close-ups of kangaroos, front on, profiles, individuals hopping, groups hopping, mothers with Joeys in their pouch, this film offers many opportunities.

But, a warning, this is a very strong documentary about kangaroos and their treatment in Australia, especially the hunting down of kangaroos, their being seen as “pests and plague� and their being culled, shot, not always immediately killed, and some brutal bashings.

As can be seen by the title, this is not only a partisan documentary about the kangaroo situation in Australia but it is quite militant. The directors have spent a great deal of time travelling around Australia, photographing the kangaroos, getting photos of night culls, and interviewing a great number of people.

There is great deal of reflection on the symbolism of the kangaroo and the new and the ironic comments that these two symbols, on our coins, notes, symbolically above the new Parliament house, have a history of being eliminated. Some of the Americans interviewed the film cannot understand this, offering the opinion that kangaroos a great tourist draw. And, probably for many city Australians this is true as well.

The film also traces the history of the use of kangaroo as meat, for pet food in past decades, then to using restaurants, the issues are exporting kangaroo meat and some of the bands that have occurred, for instance in Russia and in California (and subsequent Australian lobbying in both territories). It also traces the history of the use of kangaroo hides and kangaroo leather, with some testimony by David Beckham about football boots and English and other teams choose to the use of this leather in their countries.

So, there are a lot of visuals which are particularly disturbing – especially taken by a couple in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales where they had set up a free zone farm but are bordered by farmers who eliminate the kangaroos. And some of this testimony film has been presented to governments, especially New South Wales – with regretful comments that enquiries have been closed down. Significant in the film is the Upper House politician, Mark Pearson, staunch supporter of animal rights.

The talking heads in the film are not completely partisan. There are a number of farmers who give their views, indicate the destruction of grazing country by the kangaroos, seeing them as a pest to be eliminated in the area. There are also parliamentarians who speak about farmers rights as well and is emphasising the importance for kangaroo meat and trade connections.

The directors have lined up a significant group of talking heads to alert the audience about the role of kangaroos, the value of the statistics/or not about their being pest and plague, on conservation, preservation. They include Tim Flannery, strong spokesman on the environment. There is also Peter Singer noted for his comments on animal welfare. There is Terry Irwin speaking about zoos. There is a character from outside Alice Springs who calls himself Kangaroo Dundee who does tourist tours for kangaroo-seekers. Other speakers include politicians as well as tax expert, Kevin Henry.

So, the love-hate of the title is well to the fore in the film.

Documentaries like this, while they promote a cause, can foster conversations, changes of mind and attitude, appeals to the public, possible political changes and economic changes.

Not always easy to sit through, but a significantly provocative documentary, especially for Australian audiences.


1. The impact of the documentary? Partisan, militant? The truth? Convincing? Doubts?

2. The Australian perspective, criticism, stances? The kangaroo industries? The role of the farmers, the shooters? The contrast with animal protesters, political interventions, humane behaviour?

3. The history of kangaroos in Australia, long on the continent, the aboriginal testimonies, the song lines? White settlement, grazing and felling of trees, the proliferation of cattle, the proliferation of kangaroos, the accusations of plague and pest, the culling? The nature of the slaughter, the traditions of bashing the animals, shooting, regulations for shots in the head, shooters missing the heads? Audience memories of Wake in Fright? The nature of the arguments?

4. The kangaroo and the emu, Australian symbols, coins, notes, at the top of Parliament House? And the elimination of the emus and kangaroos?

5. The range of talking heads, Mark Pearson, his campaign, election to the New South Wales Upper House, his campaigns and activities? Peter Singer? Tim Flannery? Terri Irwin, Lee Rhiannon, Kevin Henry, the Australian academics, the American academic, the professor from Tel Aviv, the Dutch testimonies? The Senators from the National Party? The farmer from Queensland and his explanations of his attitudes? The couple in the Blue Mountains, the photographing attacks, reports to Parliament? The former shooter and her testimony?

6. The visuals, the night shoots, culling, the brutality of the deaths? Injuries, limping kangaroos, dead joeys? The carcasses, the bones?

7. Four Corners in 1969-70 and the reports?

8. Kangaroo food, for pets, humans? Leather? The sporting goods companies? David Beckham and his protest? The issues of the California ban, Australian firms and government lobbying California, the various politicians as talking heads? UK protests? Russian ban, the tests, salmonella? The politics, the National Party and their stances, Barnaby Joyce, Kim Beazley and lobbying?

9. New South Wales, the election, Pearson, his office, speeches, research, his campaigns, going to Russia? The couple from the Blue Mountains, their evidence and its examination? The promise of investigations, the shutting down of enquiries?

10. The range of animal welfare personnel, their concern?

11. Statistics, models, corrections – and the embarrassment of the man trying to explain the statistics for the kangaroo population?

12. Kangaroo Dundee, Alice Springs, his park, the tourists, his being a guide? Terri Irwin, her background with Steve Irwin? Her views, the Zoo, tourism?

13. Documentaries and campaigning, against whaling, The Cove, against Sea World and other parks, Blackfish, the effect on public opinion? Political action? Industry action?