Marine Scalefishing Licences

Mr TRELOAR (Flinders) (15:09): My next question is also to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries. Minister, what is the reason for the state government suddenly no longer allowing marine scalefishers to transfer their licences?

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) (15:09): That's not something that has suddenly happened; that's something that was always meant to have happened and it hasn't always been able to be enforced. What we have heard from a lot of the fishers around South Australia, and that included people who are in the commercial fishery, is that there are too many competing for too few fish. If people have not been using their licences—

Mr Whetstone: I thought it was the rec fishers?

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: It is interesting that the member for Chaffey talks about rec fishers. There are 277,000 rec fishers in South Australia, and the Liberal Party went out yesterday and told their association, which is a very good association—RecFish SA, very good to deal with—and said—

Mr Whetstone: You just said about dealing with one body and now you're talking about dealing with three. You are a goose!

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: —that they're going to shut down RecFish SA. I tell you what, RecFish SA has been excellent.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Chaffey is within a hair's breadth of departing.

The Hon. P. CAICA: Sir, can I take a point of order, please?

The SPEAKER: Point of order.

The Hon. P. CAICA: I do recall that at one stage I called the member for Stuart 'a goose', and I was forced to—

The SPEAKER: Could the minister be seated while I take this point of order.

The Hon. P. CAICA: —withdraw and apologise, and the member for Chaffey just called the minister a goose.

The SPEAKER: Twice. And indeed all references to members as animals throughout Her Majesty's realms are out of order.

Ms Chapman: Even a rat?

The SPEAKER: Yes, even a rat, which really cramps the style of Labor Party members. So I ask the member for Chaffey to rise and withdraw and apologise for calling the minister a goose.

Mr WHETSTONE: I withdraw and apologise for calling the minister a goose, but remember, sir, a goose is not an animal.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: It just goes to show the quality of the opposition. These people are going to go to the electorate on 17 March and ask for your vote. They are just a rabble. They are a rabble, and I can't believe what South Australia would look like if they ever got to sit on this side of the chamber.

We believe in RecFish SA. The Labor Party supports RecFish SA, so we will be there, working with them. They are very sensible people with very clear ideas on sustainable fishing in South Australia. Again, I advise those who have a different point of view to work with the peak body, which in this case is in RecFish SA, and together we will achieve much more than by having a couple of smaller groups splinter off.