Luke Hartsuyker (Cowper, National Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I would like to take the opportunity to table in this parliament a petition in regard to the Gillard government's proposal to create a new Commonwealth marine reserve on the New South Wales North Coast. The petition says the following:

This petition of concerned residents draws to the attention of the House of Representatives their concerns over Government plans to prevent commercial and recreational fishing in waters off the New South Wales North Coast. We also draw to the attention of the House of Representatives the devastating impact a reduction in fishing will have on tourism and local economies. We therefore ask the House of Representatives to ensure that no Government unnecessarily locks up waters without the support of comprehensive scientific evidence and that marine reserves should strike a balance between good environmental outcomes and community needs.

More than 10,000 have signed this petition, which highlights the serious concerns of coastal communities across the Cowper electorate with regard to federal Labor's proposal.

In March last year, the former federal minister for the environment, the Member for Kingsford Smith, released a draft plan to create a Commonwealth marine reserve called Clarence. Clarence covered an area from Brooms Head to Hat Head and up to 80 kilometres offshore. By either sheer coincidence or political convenience, this coastal strip covered almost my entire electorate. Rightly so, coastal communities right across the New South Wales North Coast were alarmed at the minister's announcement. The release of the draft plan was not accompanied by any detailed scientific analysis. Recreational fishers could see large areas potentially locked up from fishing. Commercial fishers could see their industry being decimated. Local businesses could see their livelihoods disappear overnight as tourists choose to holiday somewhere else, where fishing is permitted.

If anyone has any doubts about the importance of fishing to our tourism industry, consider this: around 55 per cent of the people who signed the petition were from outside the electorate. That is despite the fact that the petition was only distributed within Cowper. This confirms how important fishing is to our local tourism industry.

The recreational and commercial fishers' concerns about federal Labor's intentions are easily justified. They have already suffered as a result of New South Wales Labor's deal with the Greens, which saw large areas of state marine parks made no-go zones. To them, this draft declaration of a Commonwealth marine reserve was federal Labor just pursuing the same ideological agenda as their state colleagues. Their concerns are further magnified by the new Gillard minority government, which is having to deal with the Greens and now relies on the member for Melbourne and Senator Brown in order to retain power.

The Labor-Greens alliance is potentially fatal for our coastal communities. Whether it was small coastal villages such as Hat Head, Stuarts Point, Wooli or Brooms Head or larger communities such as South West Rocks, Nambucca Heads or Coffs Harbour, the result would be the same. Millions of dollars would be lost and local jobs would go. The Coffs Harbour Fishermen's Co-operative generates approximately $15 million annually. It is already struggling under increased restrictions in the state Solitary Islands Marine Park. A Commonwealth marine reserve could be the final straw.

The management of Commonwealth waters needs to be done in a way which balances the needs of environmental sustainability with the needs of economic sustainability. No-one wants to see fish stocks wiped out; that is not in anyone's interest, least of all the fishers'. Commercial fishers know their livelihood depends on sustainable fishing practices. The spokesman for the Professional Fishermen's Association, John Harrison, highlighted to me recently the absurdity of shutting down Australian commercial fishers, who are committed to sustainability. In the end, this would lead to imports of seafood from other countries where many of the fishing practices are unsustainable and indeed questionable.

Since the release of the draft marine plan, the department has been conducting a consultation process. Despite being the federal representative, I was not invited to attend these consultations. But those who have attended question the whole process and consider it a sham. The bureaucrats have failed to produce detailed scientific evidence in support of the proposed plans, and they insist that fishers and small businesses justify their opposition to the proposal. The feedback I have received from stakeholders is that the departmental representatives have been arrogant and almost dismissive of anybody who seeks to question what is being proposed.

Earlier I noted the fact that many people in my electorate were concerned that this was an ideologically driven process when it was being managed by the member for Kingsford Smith. However, since the release of the draft plan there have been two major developments. We have seen the New South Wales coalition government overturn Labor's fishing lockout at Fish Rock and Green Island, near South West Rocks, and commence genuine consultation with stakeholders. At the federal level, we have a new minister in charge. It is vitally important that we take a balanced view towards coastal marine reserves. This petition shows the depth of community feeling. I table the petition in the House.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The acceptance of the petition will be subject to the approval of the Standing Committee on Petitions.