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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-04-05 Daily Xml
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MARINE PARKS

Mr WILLIAMS (MacKillop—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (15:10): My question is to the Minister for Environment and Conservation. What advice has the government—

The Hon. P.F. Conlon interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr WILLIAMS: —had from tourism operators and Tourism SA about the impacts of the proposed sanctuary zones within marine parks? The South Australian Tourism Industry Council (SATIC) has raised concerns about the proposed sanctuary zones within marine parks and has released figures that fishing for pleasure attributes to over 20 per cent of many regions' tourism. Ward Tilbrook, Chief Executive of SATIC, stated:

It is important that government has a focus on the health of our marine environment, but it does need to provide definite science on how recreational and charter fishing is threatening marine plant and animal life in South Australian waters to justify any further restrictions or prohibitions on recreational and charter fishing in South Australia.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Minister for Environment and Conservation.

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton—Minister for Environment and Conservation, Minister for the River Murray, Minister for Water) (15:11): Thank you, Madam Speaker. He has given me a great deal of scope in which to answer the question, and I know, Madam Speaker, that you will take that into account when I am answering. I have not met with the organisation to which the member refers; however, I did, of course, meet with the—

Mr Williams interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for MacKillop!

The Hon. P. CAICA: —head of tourism, Mr Darbyshire, a very, very decent person who understands the advantages to tourism in getting the balance right between use in marine parks and the preservation of the environment in which the species that are being sought will be sustained. There is no doubt in my mind that the figures—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: —that were quoted by the deputy leader are close enough to being correct. Quite simply, and I have said this ad nauseam as well, the role of recreational fishing and, indeed, tourism that is linked to recreational fishing is a very, very important component of our regional economies. I guess that I will restate what I said—

The Hon. P.F. Conlon: Haven't you got some medals for fishing?

The Hon. P. CAICA: Yes, I do, Patrick, but I don't want to go there. The first I had seen of that organisation's foray into this debate was a press release of last week, and I would have thought, quite frankly, that it would have been better for them to have had a chat with me before they issued that press release. Amongst—

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Bragg will be quiet.

The Hon. P. CAICA: —other things, Madam Speaker, is their assertion that marine parks are going to reduce the value of houses within the areas in which marine parks will be located when, quite frankly, I am not aware of that anywhere in Australia or the world.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: The whole idea is, of course, for marine parks to actually continue to attract tourists beyond even those that are focusing on recreational fishing. As I have said, why would we go about destroying regional economies?

As I have mentioned previously, and I will say it again—although they are not listening because they do not want to listen. I think, Madam Speaker, that the idea of opposition is not actually to become better informed, because what is the use of throwing grenades if you actually become better informed? They are not coming to any briefings. They are not listening to those briefings, because quite frankly they do not want to know. Tourism—

Mr Williams interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: —is a very important component of what will underpin marine parks. As I said earlier—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Norwood!

The Hon. P. CAICA: That is the third time he has been warned, Madam Speaker, but far be it for me to be a dobber.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.M. Rankine interjecting:

The Hon. P. CAICA: That's right, she's the dobber. So, Madam Speaker, we will continue to have a flourishing tourism industry when marine parks and sanctuary zones within marine parks are established.

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