Police yesterday confirmed three kangaroos had been found dead at Sulman Park, apparently shot by hunters operating under the cover of darkness.

The idea of people firing guns in a public area is bad enough, but the timing of these attacks gives extra meaning to the story.

It was just a few weeks ago that Councillor Warren Aubin called for an organised cull of kangaroos on the Mount to reduce what he said were out-of-control numbers.

Cr Aubin feared – justifiably – that images of kangaroos bounding on to the Mount Panorama circuit during the Bathurst 1000 or Bathurst 12 Hour would damage the reputation of those events and potentially deter overseas drivers from making the trip to Bathurst in future years.

Given the importance of motor racing to the Bathurst economy, Cr Aubin’s suggestion for a cull certainly deserved further investigation.

Now, however, it seems someone has taken matters into their own hands.

But individual responses to this morning’s revelations will depend largely on which side of the cull debate you stand.

Those who support a cull will say the unauthorised killing of three kangaroos is an inevitable response to a lack of action on kangaroo numbers on the Mount.

And they will argue that a cull should go ahead to deter unauthorised shooters, and to ensure that those people carrying out the cull are doing so in a responsible, safe and monitored fashion.

For those who oppose a cull, though, this week’s killings will provide further proof of what happens when a community does not respect its native fauna.

They will argue that a cull will simply provide further perverse justification for thrill-seekers looking for something to shoot.

But both sides will agree on one thing: If a cull is to go ahead, this is not the way it should be done.