Melissa Price (Durack, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to condemn the Cook and Albanese Labor governments for their treatment of Western Australia's primary industries. A common theme amongst all Labor governments seems to be their lack of care and respect for primary producers. In regional WA, our primary producers are being treated with open contempt. Recently, I spoke in parliament on how the WA state government demersal fishing ban is impacting fisher men and women across the state, particularly from Kalbarri to Augusta, where commercial fishing for demersal species is now banned and recreational fishing is banned for a further 21 months.

I want to remind the House of the disrespect shown by both the WA Cook Labor government and the Albanese Labor government. The ban I'm referring to was implemented less than one month from the date of announcement. They made the announcement and said 'in a month's time', giving no warning to those in the industry to prepare for life after fishing. Honestly, it is unbelievable. Further to this and despite being the richest state in Australia, the WA government could only manage a paltry $29 million compensation package. That is so disrespectful to an industry that has worked hard to keep itself thriving while maintaining a manageable and sustainable level of growth. In comparison, the federal and Queensland governments have committed more than $160 million to phase out gillnet fishing. Why is it that Western Australian men and women fishers have drawn the short straw?

Despite efforts from me and my WA colleagues, the federal fisheries minister refuses to support those WA fishing families. In fact, the minister doesn't even have the decency to travel to Western Australia and meet with our fishers. The other week, fisher men and women from all over the state gathered on the steps of the state parliament to rally against the ban. Amongst the crowd were multiple multigenerational fishing families now selling their boats and also selling their nets and wondering how they're going to pay their mortgages without an income. All those who gathered were simply asking for a conversation and basic support from the WA minister. Instead, they have been ignored, dismissed and left feeling completely unheard by yet another arrogant Labor government.

In my electorate of Durack, fishing families are being pushed to the brink and risk being wiped out entirely. This is no exaggeration. Bait shops are closing. Seafood shops have got no fish to sell. Boat ramps are empty, and boats are sitting in sheds. A petition signed by over 27,000 Western Australians has been tabled by the opposition in state parliament, calling for a pause on the bans until a parliamentary inquiry is held and the need for emergency financial relief for affected fishers is agreed to.

Sadly, Labor's contempt extends to the WA agricultural industry, with the banning of the live sheep export trade. After nearly two years of uncertainty, the first live sheep export trade transition dollars are finally being rolled out. This is simply too little, too late. In that time, our state flock numbers have tumbled. First, the Albanese government announced an insultingly low support package, an amount which was never going to be enough compared to the revenue loss. They then made the application for the support package near-on impossible to complete. Many in the industry haven't even bothered applying, because the process is so daunting, drawn-out and, quite frankly, just tiring. Families and communities are still hurting from the initial announcement. The government has done next to nothing to support them or ease the burden. To add insult to injury, of the recent $20 million grant application, there is over $16 million that's shared amongst five abattoir processing plants. You can't make this stuff up. When our state flock has now dwindled to an estimated six million, down from 12.7 million in 2022, it's difficult to see how we can have a sustainable processing sector, regardless of government grants.

This government has ripped away regional livelihoods and failed to stand by key industries. And, when those affected have sought support, they have been met with indifference from arrogant and out-of-touch Labor governments. Remember that the banning of the live sheep trade was never about animal welfare. It was only ever about winning votes in inner-city seats in Sydney and Melbourne. I say shame on Labor. It's time state and federal Labor governments showed respect to regional Western Australians keeping our economy strong, growing our food and fibre and making daily sacrifices for us.

See this speech in context