Giant Cuttlefish Population

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (15:09): My question is to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development. Will the minister inform the chamber about this year's update for the giant Australian cuttlefish numbers?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (15:09): I thank the honourable member for his interest in this and his particular interest in Whyalla and the Upper Spencer Gulf. Prior to the last election, we made a commitment to reinstate the closure of fishing for the giant Australian cuttlefish in the Upper Spencer Gulf, and by May we had already delivered on this commitment.

I am pleased to advise the chamber of a 28 per cent increase in the cuttlefish population for 2022, at 137,999 individual cuttlefish—they are that specific with the numbers—up from the 107,000 recorded in 2021, after the former Liberal government inexplicably abandoned the closure of the taking of cuttlefish in the Upper Spencer Gulf, despite the fact that that closure was clearly doing its job.

What the reinstatement of the closure under this government means is that tourism and dive operators and all the other businesses that thrive from people coming to the Whyalla district and surrounds to witness this amazing natural phenomenon can now take confidence that this government, the Malinauskas Labor government, supports them, supports their businesses and understands the importance of the cuttlefish aggregation to Whyalla.

I was very pleased to see the ABC reporting on the cuttlefish numbers just recently. Dive shop owner Tony Bramley said, and I quote:

I don't think there's anything else people who are concerned about the aggregation could ask for. It's absolutely fantastic news because it shows the efficacy of that spatial closure, which was taken away two years ago because, according to the government at the time, it had done its job.

Owner of Cutty's Boat Tours, Matt Waller, told the ABC, and I quote:

It just says to us that yes, this is a good thing. Yes, this is an industry that's going to exist in the future. It gives us a bit more confidence for sure.

I was fortunate to experience Cutty's Boat Tours for myself this year and can attest to the amazing experience that the business offers tourists and locals alike, who want to see the cuttlefish but who don't necessarily dive or are unable to do so.

The current closure ends in May next year, when it may be rolled over for another year to May 2024, in line with section 79 of the Fisheries Act, but our government will be working on implementing a permanent legislated fishing closure for cuttlefish in the Upper Spencer Gulf.

The Malinauskas Labor government, clearly from this, takes a deep interest in our regions. We care about maintaining and improving the experiences that draw people to regional areas, to the businesses and communities that are so crucial to our state. We care about Whyalla.

I think it is worrying for the people of Whyalla when we see not only things like the cuttlefish closure not being continued under the previous government but, in the leaked report into the Liberal Party's election loss, their bemoaning the fact that a new school was built there when it was a safe Labor seat. If that sort of advice is taken at face value by those opposite, then clearly the people of Whyalla can expect nothing much at all from any future Liberals.

I look forward to numbers—

The Hon. N.J. Centofanti interjecting:

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: The Leader of the Opposition says that they weren't pork-barrelling. It's very, very unfortunate that a Whyalla school—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: —is of so little importance to those opposite. It clearly shows the level of interest, which is negligible from those opposite.

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: I look forward to numbers of cuttlefish growing in the Upper Spencer Gulf.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Continue.

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: I look forward to numbers of cuttlefish growing in the Upper Spencer Gulf in years to come as a result of this policy, a policy that is only safe as long as those opposite don't get a chance to abandon it again.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: Do you know where Whyalla is?

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The honourable Leader of the Government won't bait me.