The Narooma Port Coimmittee put out the following media release Monday morning 25th August 2008. Underneath it is the response of the Member for Bega, Andrew Constance.
It will be moist interesting what this throws up. Especially if Professor Kearney has a chance to address the panel.


NAROOMA PORT COMMITTEE
Chairman Dr. Philip Creagh BVSc.
Secretary Mr. John Moore
PO Box 596, Narooma, NSW, 2546,

Narooma Port Committee welcomes the review of the effectiveness of Marine Parks in New South Wales.
25th August 2008

On 16th July 2008, in a response to Mr. Alan Ashton, NSW Member for East Hills (Sydney), Minister Firth announced there would be an independent and expert-based science panel to review the scientific monitoring and research in NSW Marine Parks. The text of the relevant section of her letter to Mr. Ashton follows:

" ... A review of scientific monitoring and research in NSW Marine Parks is due to commence later this year, and the Marine Parks Authority has recently agreed to establish an independent and expert-based science panel to undertake this review. The panel will include several eminent experts who will provide me with important scientific advice about how effective Marine Parks have been in protecting marine biodiversity and what directions are needed in future research. Work to establish the panel and set the terms of reference have already commenced. Professor Kearney will be invited to address the panel."

The Narooma Port Committee applauds the setting up of this panel, and especially that it will be expert-based and independent of the Department of Climate Change and the Environment. The Narooma Port Committee also appreciates the invitation to Professor Kearney, one of Australia?s leading Marine Science and Marine Biodiversity experts, to address the panel.

We can only hope that the "eminent experts" selected for the panel will truly be experts and independent of the Department of Climate Change and Environment. The Narooma Port Committee has been disappointed in the advice that Minister Firth has been receiving from her senior bureaucrats within the Department of Climate Change and Environment as much of it appears to be based on "faith based scientific beliefs" rather than science which is based on observation, logic, objectivity and reasoning.

Much of the "scientific" statements emanating from this Department appear to be consistent with an environmental fundamentalism that relies on "consensus statements", rather than a cumulative build-up of corroborative evidence.

The Narooma Port Committee looks forward to notification of the members of the scientific panel, and the time frame for its actions. We expect, as part of the transparent process of Government, that all submissions to the panel will be made public.
ENDS


MP Questions Marine Park Science Review ... August 25, 2008

The Member for Bega Andrew Constance has called on the Minister for the Environment Verity Firth to formally announce an 'independent' review into the science behind NSW Marine Parks and to consult broadly on its terms of reference.

"True to form the Iemma Government has again failed the test of open and transperant government by failing to communicate its intentions with this review," Mr Constance said.

"The least the Minister should have done is write to organisations such as the Narooma Ports Committee given their involvement in the marine park," he said.

"The management of the Batemans Marine Park's inception was farcicial and fishers in our region are right to expect openness, transperancy and accountability throughout such a review," Mr Constance said.

"The fact that such a review has been agreed to is an admission that the whole marine park process has been political to date rather than based on sound science," Mr Constance said.

"Scientific peer reviews should have been undertaken in the first place before closing 16000 ha in our region to commercial and recreational fishers," Mr Constance said.

"Hundreds of people were directly affected," he said.

"The Minister has finally realised that there is a need for such a review following the enormous angst against the Iemma Governments lack of consultation regarding the Batemans Marine Park and in particular the lack of science behind the zoning plan process," Mr Constance said.

"My worry is that the terms of reference for the impending review will be restrictive," Mr Constance said.

"For instance what involvement will NSW Fisheries have to play in this? " Mr Constance asked

"Such a review should be open, transperant and inclusive," Mr Constance said.

"The Minister needs to consult on its terms of reference," he said.
ENDS