House of Assembly Fifty-Third Parliament, First Session (53-1) 53 1 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Marine Parks Marine Parks Mr GRIFFITHS House of Assembly Goyder Marine Parks Mr GRIFFITHS (Goyder) (14:53): My question is to the Minister for Regional Development. Can the minister confirm, based on briefings he has received from recreational fishers, the professional fishing industry and departmental staff in the three months that he has been the minister, the latest figures on jobs already lost and negative dollar impact on the state's economy, and the predicted figures following the full implementation of the marine parks and the 84 sanctuary or no fishing zones? The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL House of Assembly Mawson Minister for Agriculture Minister for Forests Minister for Tourism Minister for Recreation and Sport Minister for Racing Marine Parks The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL (Mawson—Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Tourism, Minister for Recreation and Sport, Minister for Racing) (14:53): As the minister for fisheries, I have had discussions with the Southern Rock Lobster Association and the Northern Rock Lobster Association about their fears about marine parks. They seem to be fairly comfortable with a lot of the stuff. They have some concerns about the zones between Port MacDonnell and the Victorian border. What I have asked them to do is to wait for these zones to come into place, in October, and see how it goes. There is always a lot of fear before things are introduced and then sometimes it comes in and it is not as bad as everyone predicted it would be. We see that not just in the fishing industry: we see it right throughout our society, right through lots of different things that happen to people over time. Change is never easy, but this is change for the good of the fisheries. This is change that will be for the good of the industry as well. Members interjecting: The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL House of Assembly The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: The science backs that up, and I think it would be wise for everyone to wait and see how it all goes. We only have to wait until October when things are introduced and see how it goes from October for the next 12 months. Members interjecting: The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL House of Assembly The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: Oh, come on, ease up! There has been 10 years of debate on this issue. We are at the point where we are about to introduce these marine parks. The rest of the world is watching. They like what we are doing in terms of having sustainable fishing. The Hon. J.J. Snelling interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: The Minister for Health is called to order. The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL House of Assembly The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: It was an idea first put forward by those on the opposite side of this house, and it is one that we have persevered with. We have had endless consultation. The time has come to implement the marine parks and continue to listen after we have implemented these marine parks as to how they are going. As I said before, there is always a lot of fear about change. When change actually happens, some of that fear is often unfounded. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Supplementary, member for Goyder.