❓ Mr Rundle questions the Minister for Environment about the South Coast Marine Park announcement, alleging a lack of community consultation and undue influence from overseas organisations. The Minister defends the consultation process and highlights the park's benefits.
AnsweredQoN 784Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
SOUTH
COAST MARINE PARK
784. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Minister for Environment:
I will ask a question on behalf of the community. Yesterday,
the minister covertly visited Esperance.
Dr A.D. Buti : To which minister?
The SPEAKER : Sorry, just pause for a moment. Minister
for Education and others, I often tell the Leader of the House that I expect an
example from him. He has been setting an excellent example of late.
Fortunately, the school students have left, but I also expect you to set an
excellent example. Please do not interject while someone is asking a question.
Mr P.J. RUNDLE : My question
is to the Minister for Environment on behalf of the community. Yesterday, the
minister covertly visited Esperance to announce the opening of the widely
opposed South Coast Marine Park on a day
when he and his department knew that key stakeholders were preoccupied with the
south coast annual fisheries management meetings.
(1) With over 55 per
cent of Esperance residents formally expressing their opposition to this marine
park through petitions and other documents, how can the minister justify
ignoring local voices in favour of input from overseas organisations like The
Pew Charitable Trusts, which has no genuine connection to the community?
(2) Will this
same underhanded approach be used for the Marmion Marine Park that his
government has avoided announcing before the election due to fear of a massive
voter backlash in the metropolitan area?
The SPEAKER : Just a little
guidance, member for Roe. Your question contains way too much argument. A
question is not supposed to argue a point one way or another. It is
supposed to just be a question and should only contain other information that
makes your question intelligible. It is not to present a point of view or an
argument.
COAST MARINE PARK
784. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Minister for Environment:
I will ask a question on behalf of the community. Yesterday,
the minister covertly visited Esperance.
Dr A.D. Buti : To which minister?
The SPEAKER : Sorry, just pause for a moment. Minister
for Education and others, I often tell the Leader of the House that I expect an
example from him. He has been setting an excellent example of late.
Fortunately, the school students have left, but I also expect you to set an
excellent example. Please do not interject while someone is asking a question.
Mr P.J. RUNDLE : My question
is to the Minister for Environment on behalf of the community. Yesterday, the
minister covertly visited Esperance to announce the opening of the widely
opposed South Coast Marine Park on a day
when he and his department knew that key stakeholders were preoccupied with the
south coast annual fisheries management meetings.
(1) With over 55 per
cent of Esperance residents formally expressing their opposition to this marine
park through petitions and other documents, how can the minister justify
ignoring local voices in favour of input from overseas organisations like The
Pew Charitable Trusts, which has no genuine connection to the community?
(2) Will this
same underhanded approach be used for the Marmion Marine Park that his
government has avoided announcing before the election due to fear of a massive
voter backlash in the metropolitan area?
The SPEAKER : Just a little
guidance, member for Roe. Your question contains way too much argument. A
question is not supposed to argue a point one way or another. It is
supposed to just be a question and should only contain other information that
makes your question intelligible. It is not to present a point of view or an
argument.
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) Yes,
apparently now I am James Bond. I am so covert that the first thing I did when
I arrived was to call a press conference. I was very, very secretive. After
that I was so covert and secretive that I had a meeting with the president and
the CEO of the Shire of Esperance and we had a good discussion. I was so covert and secretive that I went to the port and I joined
a charter boat operator and traditional owner representatives and I looked at the beautiful coastline of Esperance.
I have engaged countlessly. I have visited the Esperance community many
times. The Minister for Fisheries has been to Esperance and we well know that
he has gone to rallies and spoken. We cop a bit of flak, but that is the job
that we have. I have spoken countless times to representatives of all the major
industry bodies in my office, in Esperance and at other locations. This has
been the most consulted on marine park in the history of Western Australia. We
have gone above and beyond the statutory
requirements for public submissions. We have had 11 sectoral groups made up of
interests from various areas, whether it is recreational fishing, community,
traditional owners or conservationists. We have had scores of meetings.
Commercial fishers who wanted to have one-on-one consultation have had it. I have
stood in sheds down in Esperance with fishing business owners and I have pored
over maps of the coast. We have looked together about where the zones can be,
or be changed and altered to fit the requirements of industry. I have had
consultations with local traditional owners about their concerns and interests. We could not have done more as a government
in consultation. I also requested a pop-up facility in the local
shopping centre so members of the community could walk in at any time, look at the map on a screen, take away information
and have one-on-one conversations with people engaged with the process
from the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. We have gone
above and beyond in consultation.
Of 22 000 submissions, the vast
majority were supportive of this endeavour. I have spoken about the businesses
in Bremer Bay and Esperance that also support this initiative. It will result
in jobs and tourism opportunities. We are protecting
a valuable, rich biodiverse area for future generations, so that the member's kids and grandkids can be proud of and enjoy this coastline forevermore. That
is what we are about and that is what we will continue to do, whether it is a marine
park on the south coast, in the Kimberley, or off the metropolitan coast —
Mr P.J. Rundle interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Mr R.R. WHITBY : We will
always engage and will always consult. We have a good track record —
Mr P.J. Rundle interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Mr R.R. WHITBY : Member, we
have been engaged in a pretty big operation on the south coast. The south coast
marine park is one of the biggest in the country and in the world. We are very
proud of it. We have delivered that forever legacy and we look forward to doing
more.
apparently now I am James Bond. I am so covert that the first thing I did when
I arrived was to call a press conference. I was very, very secretive. After
that I was so covert and secretive that I had a meeting with the president and
the CEO of the Shire of Esperance and we had a good discussion. I was so covert and secretive that I went to the port and I joined
a charter boat operator and traditional owner representatives and I looked at the beautiful coastline of Esperance.
I have engaged countlessly. I have visited the Esperance community many
times. The Minister for Fisheries has been to Esperance and we well know that
he has gone to rallies and spoken. We cop a bit of flak, but that is the job
that we have. I have spoken countless times to representatives of all the major
industry bodies in my office, in Esperance and at other locations. This has
been the most consulted on marine park in the history of Western Australia. We
have gone above and beyond the statutory
requirements for public submissions. We have had 11 sectoral groups made up of
interests from various areas, whether it is recreational fishing, community,
traditional owners or conservationists. We have had scores of meetings.
Commercial fishers who wanted to have one-on-one consultation have had it. I have
stood in sheds down in Esperance with fishing business owners and I have pored
over maps of the coast. We have looked together about where the zones can be,
or be changed and altered to fit the requirements of industry. I have had
consultations with local traditional owners about their concerns and interests. We could not have done more as a government
in consultation. I also requested a pop-up facility in the local
shopping centre so members of the community could walk in at any time, look at the map on a screen, take away information
and have one-on-one conversations with people engaged with the process
from the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. We have gone
above and beyond in consultation.
Of 22 000 submissions, the vast
majority were supportive of this endeavour. I have spoken about the businesses
in Bremer Bay and Esperance that also support this initiative. It will result
in jobs and tourism opportunities. We are protecting
a valuable, rich biodiverse area for future generations, so that the member's kids and grandkids can be proud of and enjoy this coastline forevermore. That
is what we are about and that is what we will continue to do, whether it is a marine
park on the south coast, in the Kimberley, or off the metropolitan coast —
Mr P.J. Rundle interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Mr R.R. WHITBY : We will
always engage and will always consult. We have a good track record —
Mr P.J. Rundle interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Mr R.R. WHITBY : Member, we
have been engaged in a pretty big operation on the south coast. The south coast
marine park is one of the biggest in the country and in the world. We are very
proud of it. We have delivered that forever legacy and we look forward to doing
more.
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