Ruth Webber (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

It will come as no surprise that, as someone from Western Australia, I also rise briefly to take note of this report and talk about the state of the fishing industry in my home state. I do promise it will be a brief contribution, after a very long week. Recently, I had the honour of attending the WA Fishing Industry Council’s annual dinner and awards presentation. They recognised significant contributors to the WA fishing industry in the various roles of promoting research, the fisherman of the year and all sorts of things. One of the people who got an award for their work was the journalist that Senator Ian Macdonald referred to from the West Australian. She was acknowledged by WAFIC as having made an outstanding contribution.

When Regina got up to accept her award she revealed to all of us that she had actually left the West Australian and was now working as the press secretary to Senator Ian Campbell. So it would seem that she has been won over by some members of the government, if not all. I am sure she will continue to do good work for the plight of the Western Australian fishing industry in that capacity, but she obviously also has some other duties now. I am told she is working as hard as she can to promote the profile of Senator Campbell. So it seems she has the confidence of some members of the government, particularly some cabinet ministers. WAFIC was very pleased to acknowledge her work with the West Australian in covering the issues that particularly affected the Western Australian fishing industry.

Another award on the night went to some of the fishing community in the Kimberley, up in the north-west, for the work they have done not only with the West Australian but by themselves in bringing to everyone’s attention the difficulties that illegal fishing and poaching is placing on them in terms of the future of their own fishery and their safety when they are out there trying to earn a livelihood. They certainly, in accepting that award, particularly acknowledged Regina’s fine work with the West Australian. With that, I seek leave to continue my remarks later.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.