House of Assembly: Thursday, March 19, 2015

Contents

Marine Park Sanctuary Zones

Mr GRIFFITHS (Goyder) (14:53): Supplementary question: can I ask the Minister for Fisheries when he goes to Port Wakefield, as he referred to in his answer, and goes fishing with Bart Butson, as I know is about to occur, if he might ask Bart what is happening to his brother and his family, who have to move to Eyre Peninsula to go fishing now because he has no grounds left to fish from?

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) (14:54): I thank the member for the question. I actually met with Bart this week. We were going to go out fishing a couple of weeks ago, but it came up a bit windy and none of the boats could get out.

Ms Chapman: Where's the minister? Gone fishing.

The SPEAKER: The member for Bragg will leave the chamber for half an hour.

The honourable member for Bragg having withdrawn from the chamber:

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: As the Minister for Fisheries I think it is important to go fishing and to be there face to face with the people who are out there earning their livelihood. They know the conditions the best, they know what to do for the future of the fisheries the best. As I have said to them, when you are out on the boats for 12 hours, you have a captive audience. You cannot say, 'I have to rush off to my next meeting.' You are in there and you are listening to their concerns, listening to their ideas for the future, and I think it is a good place to be fishing when you are the Minister for Fisheries.