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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
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SELECT COMMITTEE ON MARINE PARKS IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Adjourned debate on motion of D.G.E. Hood:

That it be an instruction to the Select Committee on Marine Parks in South Australia that its terms of reference be extended by inserting new paragraph 1A as follows:

1A. That the select committee inquire into and report upon—

(a) the government's proposed recent amendments to the draft management plan and impact statements for each of the proposed 19 marine parks in South Australia; and

(b) any other related matter.

(Continued from 6 February 2013.)

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (16:50): I rise to commend the Hon. Dennis Hood on his motion and also to commend the work of the select committee. I urge the chamber to note the travels that this committee has made far and wide to hear the points of view of very concerned South Australian people with regard to this marine parks issue.

We have taken an enormous amount of evidence from concerned citizens. To finish the good work of the committee, the Hon. Dennis Hood has quite rightly moved that we take submissions from those concerned people on the new boundaries, and this is really quite important. There is an enormous amount of angst within the community still. It is not correct to say that people are now very happy with the way this issue has been handled, and we would like to conclude the process in a correct and proper manner.

I put on the record my dismay at a consistent theme that came through at the many hearings that I attended, and that was the fact that there was always a DENR representative present who was charged with the responsibility of taking minutes of meetings. We heard many times that quite often those minutes did not get close to reflecting the will of the meeting. When this was put to the CEO of the then DENR, it was dismissed as an unfortunate coincidence and purely bad luck. It makes me extremely suspicious as to the way this process has been handled and people have been bullied into trying to accept the point of view of DENR. Of course, the scientists who were assisting DENR were geniuses and anybody who challenged any science that was put forward was a raving lunatic.

I think it is important that this committee finish its work on the relevant boundaries. I ask the chamber to support the Hon. Dennis Hood for his good work and hope that we can proceed as soon as possible.

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS (16:52): I advise that the government opposes this motion. We will not support the extension of the terms of reference to this select committee. The committee commenced in May 2011 and was originally due to report in September 2011. However, I understand that there have already been six extensions to this time line. The committee produced an interim report late last year on 28 November and itself admitted that the data it relied on was outdated. The committee was not even using the most up-to-date information in its deliberations at that time.

As members would no doubt be aware, management plans for the state's 19 marine parks were finalised on 29 November last year. This followed one of the largest community engagement processes ever undertaken by the government in South Australia. The marine parks program has been developed over 10 years and has included extensive community and stakeholder involvement in each step. The many contributors to this select committee have added to this process and we again thank them. I understand the committee has been presented with evidence from more than 100 stakeholders which is, of course, important.

However, the government's consultation process over the past three years alone has considered the views of a much broader audience—in excess of 35,000 public contacts, as well as more than 8,600 written submissions made in late 2012—in relation to the 19 marine park draft management plans. Of that, more than 80 per cent of the responses received were in support of marine parks. Some members of the committee simply choose to ignore the extensive consultation process that the government was running and, as mentioned earlier, insist on relying on outdated information.

The final management plans released last year were informed by extensive community and stakeholder advice and were underpinned by robust scientific principles and the requirements set out in the Marine Parks Act 2007. Marine parks have been debated in this house many times in recent years, so members would be aware that the government established 14 local advisory groups in 2010 to provide local advice on marine park zoning. The advice provided by the 14 local advisory groups was instrumental in deciding the final zoning for South Australia's marine parks. About 70 per cent of the sanctuary zones recommended by local advisory groups form part of the final management plan. Clearly the government has been listening to the community and clearly some members of the committee do not want to accept this.

In addition, a range of advice was sought from other community members and peak stakeholders, which I should point out was a requirement of the Marine Parks Act 2007. This included commercial and recreational fishing groups, conservation groups and other industries, such as shipping, mining and other business groups. Of course, advice was sought from an independent scientific working group. This group was made up of 11 of the state's most highly regarded marine scientists and has for many years provided the government with expert advice on marine parks.

The marine parks program is informed by the best local, national and international science—yet another fact that some committee members have chosen to ignore, because it does not suit their agenda. While the committee spent a year and a half focused on draft zoning plans, which were released in 2010, the government simply got on with the job.

In April 2012 the government held a peak stakeholders' forum which, for the first time, brought together representatives from the commercial and recreational fishing and conservation sectors to provide advice to the government on marine park zoning. At this forum, which was chaired by the former minister for sustainability, environment and conservation, the chair of the scientific working group and the Marine Parks Council also provided expert advice. As a result of the broad agreement reached by the forum, the government subsequently released a new set of zoning proposals for full public consultation in August 2012.

As I mentioned earlier, more than 8,600 responses were received from the public during the consultation period, with the overwhelming majority of the submission supporting marine parks. The government listened during the public consultation. The extensive advice provided on the draft plans by key stakeholders and the broad community led to many changes being made to the proposed zoning to further reduce the impact on current users of the marine environment.

I am informed that these changes reduced the impact on South Australia's commercial fishing industry from 2.1 per cent to 1.7 per cent of its annual gross value of production. They also reinstated recreational fishing access to Black Point near Whyalla, Chinaman's Hat, Cape Elizabeth on Yorke Peninsula, Cape Forbin on Kangaroo Island, and Port Arthur and Port Wakefield at the top of Gulf St Vincent. I emphasise that the zoning in the final management plan provides high levels of protection for:

Southern right whale breeding grounds and sea eagle nesting sites in the Bunda Cliffs (Great Australian Bight Marine Park);

Biodiversity jewels in the crown of South Australia's marine environment at the Isles of St Francis and Nuyts Reef (Nuyts Archipelago Marine Park);

Critical marine nursery areas in the mangroves and seagrasses (Upper Spencer Gulf and Upper St Vincent Marine Parks);

World-class scuba diving at Top Gallant Isles (Investigator Marine Park);

Reef fish, Australian sea lion and New Zealand fur seal hotspots in the Pearson Island Group (Investigator Marine Park);

Popular diving and snorkelling sites at Chinaman's Hat, adjacent to Innes National Park (Southern Spencer Gulf Marine Park) and at Port Noarlunga Reef (Encounter Marine Park);

Australian sea lion habitat at Seal Bay (Southern Kangaroo Island Marine Park); and

Eco-tourist destination and world-renowned great white shark hotspot at North Neptune Island (Neptune Islands Group (Ron and Valerie Taylor) Marine Park).

I am sure many of these places are well known to members in this place and that the importance of protecting these beautiful and unique areas of the marine environment is well understood.

The government has been keen to provide certainty to local communities and key stakeholders and has now delivered on its longstanding commitment to finalise marine park management plans. As I stated earlier, the 19 management plans have now been finalised, on 29 November 2012, and the government is moving ahead with the next phase of implementing South Australia's marine park network.

I strongly believe that marine parks with sanctuary zones have benefits beyond their borders. They will ensure that in the future our marine environment stays healthy and the fish stay abundant to support communities that rely on fishing. Marine parks are a complement to fisheries management and will help boost South Australia's reputation as a source of clean, fresh and healthy seafood. The time for reviewing outdated information and playing politics has passed. The government has developed the marine parks program informed by evidence refined through extensive consultation and implemented through regulation and education. The government opposes this motion.

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (17:01): I will just be very brief. I would like to briefly thank the speakers to this motion. I thank the Hon. Terry Stephens for his kind words. I also thank the government, the Hon. Gerry Kandelaars. Although I obviously disagree with the position put forward by the government, I am pleased that they were able to make a contribution. I would also like to thank the Hon. Michelle Lensink, who made her contribution previously. With those few words, I commend the motion to the house.

Motion carried.

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