Warren Entsch (Leichhardt, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I received an email on Friday that I would like to read to this House. It said:

Last night four dugong were killed and hauled on the beach at Horn Island. The night before eight dugong including two small ones. This was done by Harry Nona and Eddie Mau. Disgusting. When is this going to stop? These animals were more than anybody could possibly need for their own consumption and baby ones for goodness sake.

We have been campaigning for a long time to try to get this government to act to protect these very vulnerable creatures. They have continued to sit on their hands in spite of people like Colin Riddell and even wildlife campaigner Bob Irwin coming on board. We have had to go to the Sea Shepherd group, who have successfully done something about whaling, to get them engaged in this particular campaign. We have Peter Bethune coming up into my region on 31 March in the hope that we can bring some common sense into this.

I have evidence of up to 100 sea turtles being slaughtered in one hit and being sold into the markets in Papua New Guinea. I have contacted the Department of Environment and Resource Management and the only response I get from them is, ‘We’ll have a look at this, but if it is being taken for cultural purposes there is nothing we can do.’ I can tell you if they continue to adopt this sort of attitude, there will certainly be nothing we can do because there will be no more turtles and dugongs left in this region. I think it is absolutely appalling and I call on this government to act. (Time expired)