❓ A member of parliament questions the government's shark drum line program, specifically regarding the lack of public consultation and environmental assessment. The Minister responds, defending the policy and denying intent to kill tagged sharks.
AnsweredQoN 139Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
SHARK DRUM LINE PROGRAM
139. Hon LYNN MacLAREN to the
Minister for Fisheries:
(1) Why did
the government implement its new guidelines for taking sharks posing a serious
threat to public safety last year without making the new policy publicly
available first?
(2) Why did
the government omit to refer the guidelines to the Environmental Protection
Authority for assessment?
(3) Is it the
government's intention to try to kill more protected sharks fitted with
acoustic tags in the future when the sharks have not been seen by anyone, let
alone threatened anyone, and whose presence is known about only because they
have been detected on an acoustic receiver?
139. Hon LYNN MacLAREN to the
Minister for Fisheries:
(1) Why did
the government implement its new guidelines for taking sharks posing a serious
threat to public safety last year without making the new policy publicly
available first?
(2) Why did
the government omit to refer the guidelines to the Environmental Protection
Authority for assessment?
(3) Is it the
government's intention to try to kill more protected sharks fitted with
acoustic tags in the future when the sharks have not been seen by anyone, let
alone threatened anyone, and whose presence is known about only because they
have been detected on an acoustic receiver?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question.
(1)–(2) First
of all, the guidelines for taking sharks posing a serious threat came about by
the environment act that virtually downgraded it. It was a policy that was
taken from setting drum lines one kilometre offshore on a regular basis,
morning and night, down to actually a serious threat. Obviously if a shark is
hanging around in an area that is a popular swimming spot and is staying around
there for a number of days, I do not think any government could sit back and
not do something about that other than just have that shark there.
(3) The simple answer to that is no.
(1)–(2) First
of all, the guidelines for taking sharks posing a serious threat came about by
the environment act that virtually downgraded it. It was a policy that was
taken from setting drum lines one kilometre offshore on a regular basis,
morning and night, down to actually a serious threat. Obviously if a shark is
hanging around in an area that is a popular swimming spot and is staying around
there for a number of days, I do not think any government could sit back and
not do something about that other than just have that shark there.
(3) The simple answer to that is no.
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