❓ Mr. Blayney questions the Minister for Fisheries about holding a media event at a restaurant owned by Greg Poland, given Poland's prior communication regarding lobster access. The Minister confirms awareness of Poland's ownership and justifies the venue choice.
AnsweredQoN 135Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WESTERN ROCK LOBSTER FISHERY — REFORM —
GREG POLAND
135. Mr I.C. BLAYNEY to the Minister for Fisheries:
I have a supplementary question. I refer
to the minister's media announcement with a seafood restaurateur at
Hillarys Boat Harbour espousing the virtues of the minister's proposed
nationalisation. Did he know that Greg Poland owned that restaurant or was he
unaware of this?
GREG POLAND
135. Mr I.C. BLAYNEY to the Minister for Fisheries:
I have a supplementary question. I refer
to the minister's media announcement with a seafood restaurateur at
Hillarys Boat Harbour espousing the virtues of the minister's proposed
nationalisation. Did he know that Greg Poland owned that restaurant or was he
unaware of this?
AnswerView source ↗
After we had announced the policy,
which as the member for Geraldton knows, was after about five weeks of
negotiations with the Western Rock Lobster Council, we looked, as you do, for
media opportunities to promote the policy—so to have an event at
Hillarys seemed logical. Yes, we were —
Mr P.A. Katsambanis : You didn't
invite me!
Mr D.J. KELLY : There were
lots of other locals there.
When we organised that event, I was
aware that that restaurant was owned by Greg Poland—absolutely aware—because,
remember, he had written to us in August saying that he either owned or
controlled 40 or 60 restaurants throughout Western Australia and he just could
not get access to lobster. After we had negotiated the policy with the Western
Rock Lobster Council, we were looking for a venue to hold a media event.
Hillarys is a pretty logical place. There are 21 restaurants up there, but none
of them had access to western rock lobster. Yes, we were perfectly aware that
he owned that facility. However, as I have indicated, that was well after the
policy had already been announced.
The SPEAKER : That is the end
of question time.
which as the member for Geraldton knows, was after about five weeks of
negotiations with the Western Rock Lobster Council, we looked, as you do, for
media opportunities to promote the policy—so to have an event at
Hillarys seemed logical. Yes, we were —
Mr P.A. Katsambanis : You didn't
invite me!
Mr D.J. KELLY : There were
lots of other locals there.
When we organised that event, I was
aware that that restaurant was owned by Greg Poland—absolutely aware—because,
remember, he had written to us in August saying that he either owned or
controlled 40 or 60 restaurants throughout Western Australia and he just could
not get access to lobster. After we had negotiated the policy with the Western
Rock Lobster Council, we were looking for a venue to hold a media event.
Hillarys is a pretty logical place. There are 21 restaurants up there, but none
of them had access to western rock lobster. Yes, we were perfectly aware that
he owned that facility. However, as I have indicated, that was well after the
policy had already been announced.
The SPEAKER : That is the end
of question time.
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