Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Birmingham, representing the Minister for the Environment and Energy. Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Australia has sovereignty over its exclusive economic zone but must ensure the optimum utilisation of marine resources. Where the authorities believe that such optimum utilisation is not occurring, they have allowed foreign vessels temporarily registered in Australia to fish in our waters. Is the Turnbull government proposing major cuts to the marine park protection zones around the coast of Australia to accommodate foreign fishing vessels fishing in our waters?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The short answer to Senator Hanson's question is no. What the Turnbull government has been doing is ensuring that there will be fair and appropriate use and access for both recreational and commercial fishers in Australia's marine reserve areas as well as ensuring, indeed, that marine reserve areas are appropriately places of protection. We have been working on making sure that marine reserves reflect a process of genuine consultation with communities and utilisation of scientific advice.

Senator Hanson—through you, Mr President—you were not in the chamber at the time in 2012 when the then government bungled the creation of new marine reserves. At that time, they trampled over sustainable maritime communities to achieve a political outcome of being able to grandstand with the Greens in relation to the structure of marine reserves. They rushed consultation and shut recreational fishermen in particular out of that process. I would encourage you, Senator Hanson, to engage closely with the recreational fishing communities about the failings of that process and what the coalition has sought to do since, which is to achieve not only an appropriate and better environmental outcome but also a better community outcome and a better economic outcome through our review into marine reserves. We want to make sure there is a sensible balance that protects the environment, protects stocks, supports a sustainable fishing industry, attracts tourism and provides cultural, recreational and economic benefits for coastal communities.

This is about ensuring that Australian jobs in tourism are supported, that Australian jobs in recreational fishing are supported, Australian lifestyles and recreational fishing are supported and, yes, Australia's fishing industries are supported by having not only appropriate access but also sustainable reserves for the long term, which is why we have gone through a lengthy but thorough process to get this right.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson, a further supplementary question?

Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, you must be well aware that these marine zones are nothing to do with recreational fishing, because they're too far out. Do you categorically deny that the government or AFMA are having discussions or negotiations with China or any other foreign entity to acquire fishing licences by deeming their fishing vessels to be Australian fishing vessels? If yes, why the deceit and what type of licences?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Australian government, to my knowledge, is having no such discussions. Senator Hanson, I will happily check with the relevant minister and make sure that I provide any update to that information if I am at all mistaken, but my understanding is that we do not have foreign fishing vessels in Australian waters in the way in which you describe. We have no plans to change that.

What has happened in relation to marine reserves is indeed about providing the best possible outcomes for Australian fishers, for recreational fishers and for communities that depend upon the fishing industry or recreational fishing activities in that regard. It's why we've gone through a genuine consultation process. Five bioregional advisory panels conducted more than 260 regional public meetings all around the country between February and August 2015. It's a consultation process that has been informed by extensive scientific analysis as well, which will lead shortly to the tabling of updated plans. (Time expired)

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A final supplementary question, Senator Hanson?

Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You say, no, there are no discussions, but, if it was to come about, I would like to ask the minister what benefits Australia could possibly gain by opening our waters to more foreign fishing vessels when the United Nations has reported that organised crime is using fishing vessels to traffic in humans and drugs, dump waste, launder money, overfish and illegally fish, let alone destroying our own fishing and tourism industries.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

With all due respect to Senator Hanson, you're posing now a very much hypothetical question on something I've just said is not the government's policy nor the government's intent and won't be happening under the government. Senator Hanson, you can't come and ask me what the benefits are of something you're clearly opposed to and, indeed, the government isn't actually pursuing. What we are pursuing is ensuring that Commonwealth marine reserves ensure that across Senator Hanson's state of Queensland or, indeed, anywhere else around the country we have a strong Australian fishing industry, that we have fair access to waterways for recreational fishers that underpin strong tourist and other activities and that within all of that we have a sustainable environmental framework that ensures those commercial and recreational fishers can be strong well into the future knowing that they have sustainable fishery stocks as well.