With the absence of any site-specific science, no baseline studies and, in my opinion, the impartiality of at least some of the MEMA panellists in question, what this ‘consultation’ process basically amounts to is a convoluted polling system. Make no mistake, in light of the events of the last 2 weeks, your submission will amount to nothing more than a vote. Nevertheless,we must flood them with votes and give them plenty to read.
At a meeting this week, hosted by Maritime and with DPI representatives present, I put forward the question as to the security of the online submission process and whether it was open to Australian citizens only. I framed the question in reference to the recent Fishing World poll hack.
The answer the question of security didn’t surprise me, -- “we are concerned about it”. Fair enough, we are all concerned about it. If the US military can get hacked, then I’m sure MEMA shouldn’t pose any great problems.
The next bit floored me. Turns out that the consultation process is open to the world. The opinion was expressed by DPI that ‘if a tourist comes to Australia and utilizes the marine estate (be it fishing, diving etc) then shouldn’t they be entitled to make a submission ?. .
I personally find it outrageous --- the suggestion that a non-Australian citizen, living OS, could have a say in something that is going to affect my livelihood, the livelihood of hundreds of businesses, Australian residence recreation and way of life and the management of our natural resources.
If you reverse the situation, how do you think an American, for example, would react.?
This is from MEMA's privacy statement
‘The Marine Estate Management Authority may publish your submission unless you advise otherwise.
Publication of submissions will usually include your name and the name of your organisation, if relevant. The Authority will remove contact details such as your email address, postal address and telephone number.’
So, in other words MEMA is obligated to keep your submission confidential if you choose that option and even if you agree to let them publish it, then they will not reveal any details that might give away which country the submission originated from or whether they are an Aus. citizen.
I think we should be calling for an independent audit of all submissions.
I’m having trouble getting my head around this. Am I overreacting or is there something deeply disturbing about this whole thing? Is it ok that a British tourist that has come to Australia, had a swim or a fish, return home, never to be seen on Aust shores again, is allowed to have a say in something that will have such a big impact on Australian society.?. Or worse still someone who has never even set foot in Aust and never will, can have a say.
And even if you agree that its ok for a non-Aust tourist to have a say, how would MEMA sort out the submissions of the ones who had actually visited and the ones that hadn’t.
And all this before we even consider the potential for mass group submissions from the radical green groups OS.
Its not just the lock-outs that we must stop, its MEMA and the whole system.
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Originally Posted by Noelm
