FISH STOCKS

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (14:30): Can the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation outline to the house which fish stocks are threatened and which stocks will improve through the implementation of marine parks, and why does he not agree with former fisheries minister Michael O'Brien, who told parliament last year (on 6 April 2011) that all but two of the state's fisheries were already being sustainably fished?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton—Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (14:31): This marine park system is not a fisheries management tool, notwithstanding the fact—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Do you want to hear the minister?

An honourable member: No.

The SPEAKER: Well, leave.

The Hon. P. CAICA: It is an environmental management tool, and we—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Norwood, and member for Chaffey also!

The Hon. P. CAICA: Marine parks in South Australia will be multiple use, but they will have some core protection areas, no different than what was the former Liberal government's position back in 2000-01. They knew then that the benefits that accrue to the environment from this level of protection benefits all species. In fact, if we draw an analogy—it is a very good analogy—with the Murray-Darling Basin plan, what we know is that the consumptive use of the waters of the River Murray system and the Darling system, those activities are only going to be as healthy as the environment in which that occurs. The same applies with respect to marine parks, so what we would say—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: —is that all species that inhabit our marine environment will benefit from the establishment of marine parks. It is part of an ecosystem, and we are protecting and preserving that ecosystem, which benefits—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: —all creatures that inhabit that particular environment. That was the case with then Liberal government in 2000-01: they understood then the importance of ensuring that this occurred—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: What we say is that the economic and social wellbeing of this state is going to be better served and underpinned by the establishment of the marine parks system, which is proposed to have 6 per cent of state waters covered by sanctuary zones. Scientific evidence from around the world says that marine park systems without core sanctuary zones are like cracking an egg without a yolk in it. It is as simple as that. That is not really scientific terminology; that is my analogy again. However, what I would say is that—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. I.F. Evans interjecting:

The Hon. P. CAICA: What I understand from the interjection there, Madam Speaker, is that if the Liberals had gained government in 2002 they would have finalised this process by now in line with what they were suggesting at that time. I have been very much heartened by the level of input from the South Australian community with respect to the development of these marine parks and, in fact, the majority of South Australians support what this government is doing.