Grievance Debate

MARINE PARKS

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg) (15:22): I speak today about the government's proposed exclusion zones within marine parks. May I say at the outset that the debate that has ensued since the announcement last year of the proposed exclusion zones has exposed a deep-seated divide in the environmental community, and it has clearly identified the conservationists and the preservationists.

Sitting on the conservationists side, I am proud to say, is the Liberal Party, which understands the importance of protection and ensuring, as best as possible, that our natural resources are protected, that there is active attention to that and that wherever any species is threatened we act on it, that we do not just draw up another plan or proposal.

Sitting on the other side are the preservationists, who the Labor Party and the Greens have clearly lined up—those who think you can put a net or a fence around something and it stays the same forever without any contribution. It is the lazy way, it is the cheap way, and it is the way in which the Labor Party has decided to go as environmentalists.

So far in this debate we have had failed consultation, and we have had conflicting data from the scientists as to the value of the marine environment. We have had no disclosed or published basis as to where the boundaries are drawn and why, only a percentage amount. We have had complete ignorance by the government of its own primary industry department, which has advised the government that it has obtained a balanced and sustainable fishery management program.

They have broken promises as to the areas to be included—the total area in the exclusion zones—compared with their earlier promise. They have made no account of or produced data as to the displacement problem that will occur in those areas remaining that are able to be fished, and to date there has been inadequate compensation for the commercial fishers. In addition, they have made no compensation available for local businesses, such as food, tourism, caravan parks and the like, in those towns. They have ignored the impact on the coastal communities and the lifestyle which many living in those regions have chosen, and, of course, they have failed to undertake any social impact statements to date. In addition to that, they have totally disregarded the plummeting value of properties, and their owners. They have had scant regard to the food and tourism industry, and we heard today from the minister that he has not even consulted with the Premier, stakeholders or council in relation to that.

We have had no explanation or response to the complaints of those industries and the hike in food prices that will result. We have had no economic impact statement, and we hear today from the government that it has not decided on the final boundary, so why do one? Well, why not do that with a social impact statement? We have had a refusal by the minister himself, or members of his department—notwithstanding a previous promise to do so—to even attend the first public meeting, which is being convened by the Liberal Party and other stakeholders at the Burnside Town Hall tonight. That is not because we wanted to do it; it is because when we wrote to the minister earlier in the year asking him to do it, he declined, but offered at that point to send along his officers to explain the government's position.

His silencing of the critics by keeping people ignorant, by giving them the mushroom treatment, has really been the imprimatur today. So, my message to the minister is: he needs to listen, he needs to come along to public meetings (whether we convene them because he will not, or if he belatedly convenes his own), he needs to go there and listen and understand that he was born with two ears and one mouth for good reason, and he should use them in that proportion.

I also make a comment today on Monsignor Cappo, which is a name members would remember from a great SA fishing family. I have written to Monsignor Cappo and asked for an indication of the social impact. Today, I received a letter saying that he will not be putting in a submission on this. Well, let me say that there is not an 11^th commandment which says, 'Thou shalt not fish.' Monsignor Cappo needs to deal with this matter and understand what vulnerable communities, young people and families are exposed to every minute they are excluded from those zones.

Finally, what about the price? This is what the government has to come clean on; not just what is in the Sustainable Budget Commission's leaked report, which tells us that the government is going to increase commercial fees, it is going to consider increasing a recreational fishing licence and that it is also going to cut—under its recommendation—a 40 per cent cost of the support to marine parks. So, we are going to get the super cheap, superficial, totally inadequate response from the government on this important environmental issue.