SENATOR RON BOSWELL
THE NATIONALS SENATOR FOR QUEENSLAND
www.ronboswell.com
Labor and Greens oppose Senate Inquiry into Marine Parks
Senator for Queensland, Ron Boswell said today that the defeat of a motion to
refer the Government’s proposed marine parks to the Rural and Regional
Affairs Senate Committee was a major blow to the recreational and commercial
fishermen, charter fishing and marine dealers and the allied businesses that will
be severely impacted by this policy.
Their voices have not been heard in this debate and a Senate inquiry would
have given them the opportunity to have their concerns raised on the record and
would allow the Government’s policy to be scrutinised.
The Environment Minister’s consultation process has been a sham. Mr Burke
has engaged in “selective consultation” and has failed to explain to the
Australian fishing industry what the economic implications of these proposed
marine reserve parks will be.
Mr Burke seems to only be interested in boasting that Australia will lead the
world with 70 percent of the world’s marine reserves, and was devastated that
his chance to brag to other Environment Ministers at the Rio+20 conference
was denied.
Mr Burke has shown little regard for the amateur and commercial fishing
industries and the many local communities that depend on fishing for their
livelihoods.
The Government is denying Australians a major food source. Australia
currently imports 72 per cent of our seafood from other nations and we extract
less than 30 kilograms of marine catch per square kilometre from our own
oceans. We import most of our seafood from Thailand who extract more than
6,000 kilograms of marine catch from their waters.
If Minister Burke is so proud of this policy, he should be prepared to have it
examined in an open and transparent process such as a Senate inquiry.
There are so many questions that need to be answered, as fishermen have been
left in the dark with very few details provided.
20/06/2012
B2012/29
Media contact (07) 3001 8150
The American Environment Group PEW might be across the details of this
policy but the fishermen who are going to be directly impacted are not.
Without legislation and debate, Tony Burke with a stroke of a pen will be able
to declare 44 marine parks, leaving devastated communities and fishers in his
wake.
The Port Douglas charter company “Bianca” is already feeling the economic
consequences of Burke’s proposed marine parks with $120,000 lost due to
cancellations.
He must answer the following questions about the design and the
implementation of the fishing adjustment assistance package:
How many commercial boats will be impacted by the proposed marine
parks?
How did the Government calculate the $100 million compensation figure
that they have nominated?
What will the Gross Value of Production (GVP) that will be lost due to the
new parks, in each region and in total?
Will the structural assistance cover the cost of fishermen’s boats, licences,
and nets?
Will the structural assistance compensate fishing, tackle shops, charter
fishing operators, marine dealers, the outboard motor industry, other marine
industries and land based infrastructure for the loss of business?
How and when will the structural assistance be undertaken?
Where in the Budget has the Government allocated funding for the
structural assistance package?
Minister Burke has also provided no details on how the Government intends to
manage and patrol 3.1 million square kilometres of marine reserves. Perhaps
Burke is considering employing the Sea Shepherd as the first line of defence in
the Coral Sea. Foreign vessels thinking of fishing in the Coral Sea marine park
will relish the prospect of the Sea Shepherd when not chasing Japanese whale
boasts patrolling the Coral Sea.
ENDS
Media Contact (07) 3001 8150
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Originally Posted by Mark Robinson MP
