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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-04-06 Daily Xml
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MARINE PARKS

Mr WILLIAMS (MacKillop—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:41): My question is to the Minister for Environment and Conservation. Given that the government has now been working on marine parks for nine years, and has had four environment ministers, will they now release the scientific data supporting the establishment of no-take fishing zones?

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton—Minister for Environment and Conservation, Minister for the River Murray, Minister for Water) (14:41): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker, and, of course, I thank the deputy leader for his question. Of course, the information that relates to the science on which the marine parks is based is readily available. I offered a presentation to members of parliament last week, or the week before, which a few of them attended, to actually look at the basis on which the science is being used for the development of—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: —a representative marine parks system. Of course, the science we have used and are using is, in fact, world's best practice. Even yesterday, there was another presentation that was offered to members of parliament with Professor Hugh Possingham, who is a world-renowned expert on the design of marine parks and the principles—

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. P. CAICA: He is. He is an outstanding South Australian, not living in South Australia at the moment, but outstanding. I noticed that, conspicuous by their absence, were many of the—I did notice that the member—

Mr Marshall: You were conspicuous by your absence last night.

The Hon. P. CAICA: Your students have left, have they, so you can act in this inappropriate way, or are they still there? Alright, that's okay. You set the example to the students about how to act; that's fine. The science is there, it is readily available, and I did have an understanding that this question was going to be raised. I guess if there was—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr Pederick: PIRSA manage fish, not DENR.

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Hammond!

The Hon. P. CAICA: I guess something that came out of last night's meeting were the comments made by the Leader of the Opposition that they support marine parks but, of course, do not in any way support sanctuary zones. So, what they will be saying is that they will continue with just what exists at the moment.

The science is readily available, and I will just reinforce this point for the opposition, even though I have said it before, I will say it now and I will say it again in the future, but they do not listen—the marine parks design principles are not a fisheries management tool. What they are—

Mr Pederick: It's all about fish according to you.

The Hon. P. CAICA: Well, I did see the member for Hammond's press release some time ago—and someone must have written it for him because it was reasonably articulate—quite simply looking at, 'Why are we doing marine parks?'. I will paraphrase it here: why are we doing marine parks if it is not a fisheries management tool? I have said ad nauseam that it is not a fisheries management tool. It is one of the tools in the toolbox that is very valuable, the most important tool—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: —in preserving and protecting the marine habitat in which a variety of species live, not the least of which, of course, is fish. It is about creating an environment where all species continue to thrive, because we are protecting the habitat in which they live and that, in turn, then benefits—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: Madam Speaker, they have shown to date that they are not willing to listen. They want to politicise this process. I acknowledge that the member for Davenport promulgates information that says he is behind the establishment of 19 marine parks. I also acknowledge, given last night's meeting and the way it has been reported, that the Leader of the Opposition does not support sanctuary zones, and that is the difference between us and them.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I warn the member for Bragg for the second time, I have had enough of this.

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