TOURISM, SHARK CAGE DIVING

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE (14:50): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Tourism questions about shark tourism in the Neptune Islands Conservation Park.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE: Recently I was reading the Port Lincoln Times edition of Tuesday 20 March 2012. I was particularly interested in the page 3 article, entitled 'RDA sides with the three shark dive operators'. It begins:

... (RDA) Whyalla and Eyre Peninsula has lobbied the state government to allow three local shark cage divers to keep their licences instead of the two the government has proposed as part of a change of the licensing structure.

The article goes on to explain that the RDA has made that submission to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources on the basis that three of the current four operators had 'contributed significantly to the world famous tourism attraction'. In summary, all three operators offered completely different packages for shark dive experiences as well as different price points to their customers.

The decision on the successful two new licensees is set to be made on 1 April (three days' time). I understand that South Australia is the only part of Australia that offers cage diving experiences. Furthermore, in South Africa, the government is supporting a major increase in shark cage diving opportunities after learning from our industry here in South Australia. My questions are:

1. Does the minister support this reduction of regional development in economic opportunity in the Port Lincoln region?

2. Does the minister commit to seeing the Minister for Environment as soon as possible to delay the licence announcement until such time as the minister has satisfied herself that the concerns of the RDA, for which the minister is responsible in the parliament and government, have been addressed?

3. Will the minister commit to tabling in this place the scientific basis upon which the decision has been made to reduce the licensee numbers from four to two?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the Status of Women) (14:52): I thank the honourable member for his most important question. Indeed, the great white shark cage diving is somewhat of an iconic tourism experience for South Australia. I am advised that the Neptune Islands, off Port Lincoln, are the only location in Australia where this occurs. That is the information I have.

In 2011, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) licensed four operators to conduct shark cage diving at the Neptune Islands; however, I am advised that only two of these operators are licensed by PIRSA to discharge berley into the water to be able to attract sharks to the vessel. I believe that one other operator uses a form of sound vibration—

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: A bit of AC/DC?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: Yes, apparently a bit of rock and roll goes on out there on the waters. They do not use berley; they use these soundwaves to attract sharks. I understand that is the third licence. The fourth licence, I understand, is currently not being used. The three active tour operators are the Calypso Star Charters, Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions and Adventure Bay Charters. It is Adventure Bay that does not have the berley licence. As the honourable member identified, they operate three quite distinct and different tourism experiences around sharks, which is a very clever way to operate rather than compete and overlap. I believe that they are fairly successful.

Over the last two years, DENR has undertaken a review with PIRSA on the great white shark cage diving policy. The SATC has been a very active contributor in this process. I am advised that on 9 January this year, DENR issued a finalised policy that allows for an allocation of up to two licences, each for a period of up to five years.

The next phase of the expression of interest process commenced on 1 February, and I am advised that this will see the competitive allocation of two great white shark cage diving licences. Again, I understand that the SATC and PIRSA are being consulted as part of that selection process. I am further advised that the four current licences will have expired on 1 April this year, but they have been extended up until 1 July 2012.

The proposed limit of two licences is based on current CSIRO research that indicates that some behavioural changes occur around these sorts of activities, and this is likely to be a very contested process with the three current operators and a number of other interested parties obviously wanting to enter into the industry.

I can advise the honourable member that I have indeed met with the great white shark cage diving operators. A number of stakeholders formed a delegation and came and met with me and went through their issues. I was indeed very impressed with the way they operated and very sympathetic to their plight, and I have since met with the environment minister and discussed with him the issues that were put to me, and I have asked him to further consider that.

It is a very difficult issue, one of trying to get the balance right on the one hand. Clearly, we are working very hard to assist these tourism operators wherever we can. I was very happy a couple of months ago to visit Port Lincoln and assist one of the shark cage operators in a launch of a big publicity campaign using a Rex plane. I was very pleased to be part of that, as it was publicising this great tourism activity. As Minister for Tourism and Minister for Regional Development, I was very pleased to be part of that and to be able to support them in that way.

It is a matter of trying to get the balance right between a very vibrant, dynamic and successful tourism sector, while at the same time ensuring that, where there are interactions with marine environments, we are not damaging those environments, so that the two can live in harmony in a sustainable and long-term viable way.