Marine Scalefish Fishery

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:41): Supplementary: as the minister now in charge, have you considered continuing fee relief until a more affordable and equitable payment arrangement is arranged, with a higher level of industry support?

The Hon. I.K. Hunter: It was your policy. You are now abandoning it, are you? That's what your government did. It's what your government did, and now you are saying, 'Oh, we didn't like it then. We don't like it now.' It was your government's policy.

The PRESIDENT: I don't think the question was to you, the Hon. Mr Hunter.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Minister, the question was to you, not to the Hon. Mr Hunter. Can you please answer it?

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:42): Indeed, initially it appeared the question was to you, Mr President. You were being addressed. However, I take it that the intention was to address it to me. I would also ask those opposite what they want to say to those licence holders—which, I am advised, is more than half of the remaining licence holders in the fisheries—who are getting a decrease in their fees compared to what they would have had under the existing system. Do they also object to more than half getting lower fees than they would have otherwise done?