Comments from QLD Parliament
Hi all,
These were made by the National Party over the part couple of days sitting. If you feel these are a good move, then you need to support them because it is very quiet on the Labor side in anything close to support!
Chris
Feb28 2008
Recreational Fishers
Mr KNUTH (Charters Towers—NPA) (10.03 am): I rise here tonight to speak on behalf of the recreational fishers in the north of our state and condemn the Queensland government’s handling of our recreational fishing industry. The recreational fishing industry has become so overregulated and underfunded that many fishers are questioning why they pay for boat and trailer registrations other than to finance the government’s bureaucratic policing of the industry. For example, the greater Townsville district alone hands the state government a few million dollars a year through boat and trailer registration fees, and what has it seen in return? Virtually nothing has been done to improve parking facilities or widen current boat ramps for at least 10 years. Recreational fishers have to contend with overcongested ramps, often with no means of parking, and many are being forced to park illegally. What do recreational fishers receive in return for registering their boats? They are not even covered by thirdparty insurance in the event of an accident on the water,
Queensland fishers are now coming under review in the form of more regulations of the inshore fin fishery. North Queenslanders are not happy and have spoken out at one of the so-called consultancy meetings. People are saying the industry is so besieged by regulations that many recreational fishers
are gripped by fear when they see an approaching Marine Parks or DPIF vessel. That is simply because it has come to the point at which people need a masters in law to know if they are committing some kind of offence or not. Fishers from my electorate are telling me it is hard enough for someone on the coast who fishes regularly to try to keep up with all these new regulations. However, for us westerners who come to the coast occasionally to fish with the family, it has become all too confusing.
The state Labor government claims that many of its new and past regulations have come about from its many consultancy meetings held to seek recreational fishers’ views on the benefit and sustainability of the industry. However, these meetings have been receiving poor attendance from the majority of fishers due to a handful of the same self-interested individuals who coincidentally always seems to get the ear and the attention of the minister’s advisers while anyone with a different view is simply ignored.
Fishers do not need any more regulations, and even a cutback on some of the ridiculous, unneeded and unworkable ones would be a move towards reason. What we are not seeing is a proactive approach to the industry by responsibly utilising boat and trailer fees and putting this money towards funding and implementation of the already successfully proven artificial reefs along our inshore coastline. Fishers are crying out for more all-tidal access points with quality four-bay boat ramps, toilets, wash-down areas, security cameras and better parking facilities. This has all been shrouded in a more commonsense approach to the whole industry. Equally, reef fishers are sick of the continual barrage of new regulations hitting them on a yearly basis with three nine-day closures, bag limits and the stupidity of having to mutilate their catch by
removing pectoral fins. Considering that the only time fishers can get out to a reef is if weather conditions are favourable, which according to DPI figures is four times a year, I question the need for any regulations at all. After four failed attempts, I got out to the John Brewer Reef and could not believe the abundance of the popular targeted species that I saw. Fishers do not need more regulation, just a fair go and common sense.
Feb 26 2008
Moreton Bay, Fishing
Mr HORAN (Toowoomba South—NPA) (12.10 pm): Today I want to stand up and speak in support of the decent, hardworking fishing families of Queensland—whether they are involved in commercial or recreational fishing—and particularly those who use Moreton Bay. This Labor government has been in for too long. These repeated attacks on these good, decent Queenslanders just simply have to stop. Of course, behind it all is the sneaky, slimy deals that were done with the extreme Greens before the last two elections. And who cops it? Those decent Queensland families I have had
the absolute pleasure of talking to. Whether they are boaties, recreational fishers or commercial fishers, they are being attacked nonstop. Those spineless members opposite do not have the courage to stand up and support them and stop the rot.
Moreton Bay has some of the best seafood that can be provided for the tables of Queenslanders. Queenslanders in the south-east have a right to have access to some of this fresh seafood, instead of all the seafood that is imported from China, Thailand and Vietnam. The only way we will get our own fresh seafood is through the work of these fishing families and all the work they have done in past years. Years ago those fishing families used to fish 365 days and nights a year. Then they cut back to fishing on weekends. Then they had to deal with closures and cutbacks on fishing trawl nets so that the bycatch was reduced. As a result, in 2006 the Moreton Bay Seafood Industry Association won a special
award for its work. Even the Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries, who is responsible for the sustainability of fishing in the bay, on two occasions has said publicly that the fishing industry is healthy.
So why is the government continuing to attack fishing families? Why is the government forcing the people of south-east Queensland to eat seafood imported from places in South-East Asia? The government’s modus operandi is the same as the one it used with fishing in the waters around the Great Barrier Reef. In that case the government took all the good fishing areas. We have
seen the same thing occur with this draft plan.
Mr Weightman interjected.
Mr HORAN: The greenies are still behind it. The member should be standing up for these people. He represents an electorate that is located on the edge of the bay.
Mr Weightman interjected.
Mr HORAN: Let us see how he goes, because none of the members opposite have done anything for those fishing families. They are just going along with the whole plan. It is about time this parliament started to be about good and decent government, not slimy backroom deals in order to get preferences from the extreme Greens. Who suffers from those deals? Those good, decent people are the ones who suffer.
Government members interjected.
Mr HORAN: All of those members opposite who represent electorates located around the edge of the bay should be standing up for those fishing families. But they have been in this place for too long. They have become arrogant. They just walk over people like they are dirty doormats. Some of the lines that have been drawn in this draft plan are just straight lines that take no notice whatsoever of channels, proximity of reefs—all the pragmatic issues relating to Moreton Bay that these fishing people know about. We have seen the problems that have occurred through the expansion of the port, the canal developments and the loss of mangroves around the bay. Those fishing families have had to contend with all of that. Now they are going to have their livelihoods absolutely slashed.
The net result will be fewer opportunities for recreational fishers in Moreton Bay—and fishing is one of the most wonderful family pastimes imaginable. There will be fewer opportunities for boaties to be able to go out into Moreton Bay and live a good, healthy lifestyle. But importantly, there will be fewer opportunities for commercial fishers to fish in Moreton Bay so that they can provide fish containing omega 3 for people’s tables, particularly the elderly and young people. All of those opportunities are going to be put at serious risk. They are going to be cut back unless someone opposite has the courage
to stand up on behalf of these people. This attack on the people who are involved in the fishing industry has gone on and on. They are sick of it. They go out there and work on their boats. They try to pay the increased diesel charges. Why is the Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries not standing up to defend an industry that comes under the umbrella of his portfolio? He has a responsibility to stand up for these people.
The situation points to one thing: Labor has been in for too long. It has become complacent. It thinks it can walk over decent families. It thinks it can do these slimy deals with the extreme Greens. As a result, all of the good people who live in those electorates that are located on the edge of the bay and who work hard to make a living and to put fish on the table are copping it in the knees from this
government.
Reply With Quote
