❓ Hon Simon O'Brien raises concerns about the Department of Fisheries directing constituents to online resources when they lack computer access. Hon Kim Chance acknowledges the issue, citing efficiency gains from electronic information but commits to addressing the problem and investigating the specific case.
AnsweredQoN 914Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I acquaint the minister with the fact that a constituent has approached me and complained that when he contacted the Department of Fisheries by telephone about current bag limits, he was instructed to go to a web site for information. On other occasions when attempting to communicate with the department in response to requests for submissions, he was given an e-mail address of the department. (1) Given that the Department of Fisheries produces all sorts of publications, can the department not come up with some form of hard copy advice to people who do not have access to computers? (2) Will the minister undertake to seek to redress this problem if it does in fact exist, particularly if he is not immediately aware of the situation? Hon KIM CHANCE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank Hon Simon O’Brien for the question. (1)-(2) The Department of Fisheries, along with a number of other agencies - but the Department of Fisheries seems to be at the forefront of this because it deals with a large number of members of the public - obviously gains considerable efficiencies by making information available electronically. However, the department recognises that not all its clients are able to access - conveniently anyway - electronic information. It tries to make information available in hard copy. In advising people to access information electronically, it also advises that hard-copy information is available from selected points, and it tries to limit those points. Were the member’s constituent a metropolitan constituent, I think that we would be able to meet his needs at the very worst by having him call into the department’s head office in Hay Street, although it is possible that his needs could be serviced out of a subregional metropolitan office. Perhaps if the member would like to give me the details, I will ensure that his constituent is - Hon Simon O’Brien: Possibly advice could be given out through a member’s office. Hon KIM CHANCE: I certainly will raise the matter that the member has raised about hard-copy data. The member will be aware that the Department of Fisheries is quite nervous about giving certain hard-copy data to people as a result of something that happened some time ago. However, it tries to provide information to people. If it is information of the nature that the member has intimated - that is, about bag limits - it is generally very freely available, and I would be extremely disappointed if the department had not found a way to efficiently get that information to people who go to the trouble of making an inquiry. I will take up that matter with the Department of Fisheries.
(1) Given that the Department of Fisheries produces all sorts of publications, can the department not come up with some form of hard copy advice to people who do not have access to computers? (2) Will the minister undertake to seek to redress this problem if it does in fact exist, particularly if he is not immediately aware of the situation? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Simon O’Brien for the question. (1)-(2) The Department of Fisheries, along with a number of other agencies - but the Department of Fisheries seems to be at the forefront of this because it deals with a large number of members of the public - obviously gains considerable efficiencies by making information available electronically. However, the department recognises that not all its clients are able to access - conveniently anyway - electronic information. It tries to make information available in hard copy. In advising people to access information electronically, it also advises that hard-copy information is available from selected points, and it tries to limit those points. Were the member’s constituent a metropolitan constituent, I think that we would be able to meet his needs at the very worst by having him call into the department’s head office in Hay Street, although it is possible that his needs could be serviced out of a subregional metropolitan office. Perhaps if the member would like to give me the details, I will ensure that his constituent is - Hon Simon O’Brien: Possibly advice could be given out through a member’s office. Hon KIM CHANCE: I certainly will raise the matter that the member has raised about hard-copy data. The member will be aware that the Department of Fisheries is quite nervous about giving certain hard-copy data to people as a result of something that happened some time ago. However, it tries to provide information to people. If it is information of the nature that the member has intimated - that is, about bag limits - it is generally very freely available, and I would be extremely disappointed if the department had not found a way to efficiently get that information to people who go to the trouble of making an inquiry. I will take up that matter with the Department of Fisheries.
(2) Will the minister undertake to seek to redress this problem if it does in fact exist, particularly if he is not immediately aware of the situation? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Simon O’Brien for the question. (1)-(2) The Department of Fisheries, along with a number of other agencies - but the Department of Fisheries seems to be at the forefront of this because it deals with a large number of members of the public - obviously gains considerable efficiencies by making information available electronically. However, the department recognises that not all its clients are able to access - conveniently anyway - electronic information. It tries to make information available in hard copy. In advising people to access information electronically, it also advises that hard-copy information is available from selected points, and it tries to limit those points. Were the member’s constituent a metropolitan constituent, I think that we would be able to meet his needs at the very worst by having him call into the department’s head office in Hay Street, although it is possible that his needs could be serviced out of a subregional metropolitan office. Perhaps if the member would like to give me the details, I will ensure that his constituent is - Hon Simon O’Brien: Possibly advice could be given out through a member’s office. Hon KIM CHANCE: I certainly will raise the matter that the member has raised about hard-copy data. The member will be aware that the Department of Fisheries is quite nervous about giving certain hard-copy data to people as a result of something that happened some time ago. However, it tries to provide information to people. If it is information of the nature that the member has intimated - that is, about bag limits - it is generally very freely available, and I would be extremely disappointed if the department had not found a way to efficiently get that information to people who go to the trouble of making an inquiry. I will take up that matter with the Department of Fisheries.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Simon O’Brien for the question. (1)-(2) The Department of Fisheries, along with a number of other agencies - but the Department of Fisheries seems to be at the forefront of this because it deals with a large number of members of the public - obviously gains considerable efficiencies by making information available electronically. However, the department recognises that not all its clients are able to access - conveniently anyway - electronic information. It tries to make information available in hard copy. In advising people to access information electronically, it also advises that hard-copy information is available from selected points, and it tries to limit those points. Were the member’s constituent a metropolitan constituent, I think that we would be able to meet his needs at the very worst by having him call into the department’s head office in Hay Street, although it is possible that his needs could be serviced out of a subregional metropolitan office. Perhaps if the member would like to give me the details, I will ensure that his constituent is - Hon Simon O’Brien: Possibly advice could be given out through a member’s office. Hon KIM CHANCE: I certainly will raise the matter that the member has raised about hard-copy data. The member will be aware that the Department of Fisheries is quite nervous about giving certain hard-copy data to people as a result of something that happened some time ago. However, it tries to provide information to people. If it is information of the nature that the member has intimated - that is, about bag limits - it is generally very freely available, and I would be extremely disappointed if the department had not found a way to efficiently get that information to people who go to the trouble of making an inquiry. I will take up that matter with the Department of Fisheries.
I thank Hon Simon O’Brien for the question. (1)-(2) The Department of Fisheries, along with a number of other agencies - but the Department of Fisheries seems to be at the forefront of this because it deals with a large number of members of the public - obviously gains considerable efficiencies by making information available electronically. However, the department recognises that not all its clients are able to access - conveniently anyway - electronic information. It tries to make information available in hard copy. In advising people to access information electronically, it also advises that hard-copy information is available from selected points, and it tries to limit those points. Were the member’s constituent a metropolitan constituent, I think that we would be able to meet his needs at the very worst by having him call into the department’s head office in Hay Street, although it is possible that his needs could be serviced out of a subregional metropolitan office. Perhaps if the member would like to give me the details, I will ensure that his constituent is - Hon Simon O’Brien: Possibly advice could be given out through a member’s office. Hon KIM CHANCE: I certainly will raise the matter that the member has raised about hard-copy data. The member will be aware that the Department of Fisheries is quite nervous about giving certain hard-copy data to people as a result of something that happened some time ago. However, it tries to provide information to people. If it is information of the nature that the member has intimated - that is, about bag limits - it is generally very freely available, and I would be extremely disappointed if the department had not found a way to efficiently get that information to people who go to the trouble of making an inquiry. I will take up that matter with the Department of Fisheries.
(1)-(2) The Department of Fisheries, along with a number of other agencies - but the Department of Fisheries seems to be at the forefront of this because it deals with a large number of members of the public - obviously gains considerable efficiencies by making information available electronically. However, the department recognises that not all its clients are able to access - conveniently anyway - electronic information. It tries to make information available in hard copy. In advising people to access information electronically, it also advises that hard-copy information is available from selected points, and it tries to limit those points. Were the member’s constituent a metropolitan constituent, I think that we would be able to meet his needs at the very worst by having him call into the department’s head office in Hay Street, although it is possible that his needs could be serviced out of a subregional metropolitan office. Perhaps if the member would like to give me the details, I will ensure that his constituent is - Hon Simon O’Brien: Possibly advice could be given out through a member’s office. Hon KIM CHANCE: I certainly will raise the matter that the member has raised about hard-copy data. The member will be aware that the Department of Fisheries is quite nervous about giving certain hard-copy data to people as a result of something that happened some time ago. However, it tries to provide information to people. If it is information of the nature that the member has intimated - that is, about bag limits - it is generally very freely available, and I would be extremely disappointed if the department had not found a way to efficiently get that information to people who go to the trouble of making an inquiry. I will take up that matter with the Department of Fisheries.
Hon Simon O’Brien: Possibly advice could be given out through a member’s office. Hon KIM CHANCE: I certainly will raise the matter that the member has raised about hard-copy data. The member will be aware that the Department of Fisheries is quite nervous about giving certain hard-copy data to people as a result of something that happened some time ago. However, it tries to provide information to people. If it is information of the nature that the member has intimated - that is, about bag limits - it is generally very freely available, and I would be extremely disappointed if the department had not found a way to efficiently get that information to people who go to the trouble of making an inquiry. I will take up that matter with the Department of Fisheries.
Hon KIM CHANCE: I certainly will raise the matter that the member has raised about hard-copy data. The member will be aware that the Department of Fisheries is quite nervous about giving certain hard-copy data to people as a result of something that happened some time ago. However, it tries to provide information to people. If it is information of the nature that the member has intimated - that is, about bag limits - it is generally very freely available, and I would be extremely disappointed if the department had not found a way to efficiently get that information to people who go to the trouble of making an inquiry. I will take up that matter with the Department of Fisheries.
(1) Given that the Department of Fisheries produces all sorts of publications, can the department not come up with some form of hard copy advice to people who do not have access to computers? (2) Will the minister undertake to seek to redress this problem if it does in fact exist, particularly if he is not immediately aware of the situation? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Simon O’Brien for the question. (1)-(2) The Department of Fisheries, along with a number of other agencies - but the Department of Fisheries seems to be at the forefront of this because it deals with a large number of members of the public - obviously gains considerable efficiencies by making information available electronically. However, the department recognises that not all its clients are able to access - conveniently anyway - electronic information. It tries to make information available in hard copy. In advising people to access information electronically, it also advises that hard-copy information is available from selected points, and it tries to limit those points. Were the member’s constituent a metropolitan constituent, I think that we would be able to meet his needs at the very worst by having him call into the department’s head office in Hay Street, although it is possible that his needs could be serviced out of a subregional metropolitan office. Perhaps if the member would like to give me the details, I will ensure that his constituent is - Hon Simon O’Brien: Possibly advice could be given out through a member’s office. Hon KIM CHANCE: I certainly will raise the matter that the member has raised about hard-copy data. The member will be aware that the Department of Fisheries is quite nervous about giving certain hard-copy data to people as a result of something that happened some time ago. However, it tries to provide information to people. If it is information of the nature that the member has intimated - that is, about bag limits - it is generally very freely available, and I would be extremely disappointed if the department had not found a way to efficiently get that information to people who go to the trouble of making an inquiry. I will take up that matter with the Department of Fisheries.
(2) Will the minister undertake to seek to redress this problem if it does in fact exist, particularly if he is not immediately aware of the situation? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Simon O’Brien for the question. (1)-(2) The Department of Fisheries, along with a number of other agencies - but the Department of Fisheries seems to be at the forefront of this because it deals with a large number of members of the public - obviously gains considerable efficiencies by making information available electronically. However, the department recognises that not all its clients are able to access - conveniently anyway - electronic information. It tries to make information available in hard copy. In advising people to access information electronically, it also advises that hard-copy information is available from selected points, and it tries to limit those points. Were the member’s constituent a metropolitan constituent, I think that we would be able to meet his needs at the very worst by having him call into the department’s head office in Hay Street, although it is possible that his needs could be serviced out of a subregional metropolitan office. Perhaps if the member would like to give me the details, I will ensure that his constituent is - Hon Simon O’Brien: Possibly advice could be given out through a member’s office. Hon KIM CHANCE: I certainly will raise the matter that the member has raised about hard-copy data. The member will be aware that the Department of Fisheries is quite nervous about giving certain hard-copy data to people as a result of something that happened some time ago. However, it tries to provide information to people. If it is information of the nature that the member has intimated - that is, about bag limits - it is generally very freely available, and I would be extremely disappointed if the department had not found a way to efficiently get that information to people who go to the trouble of making an inquiry. I will take up that matter with the Department of Fisheries.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Simon O’Brien for the question. (1)-(2) The Department of Fisheries, along with a number of other agencies - but the Department of Fisheries seems to be at the forefront of this because it deals with a large number of members of the public - obviously gains considerable efficiencies by making information available electronically. However, the department recognises that not all its clients are able to access - conveniently anyway - electronic information. It tries to make information available in hard copy. In advising people to access information electronically, it also advises that hard-copy information is available from selected points, and it tries to limit those points. Were the member’s constituent a metropolitan constituent, I think that we would be able to meet his needs at the very worst by having him call into the department’s head office in Hay Street, although it is possible that his needs could be serviced out of a subregional metropolitan office. Perhaps if the member would like to give me the details, I will ensure that his constituent is - Hon Simon O’Brien: Possibly advice could be given out through a member’s office. Hon KIM CHANCE: I certainly will raise the matter that the member has raised about hard-copy data. The member will be aware that the Department of Fisheries is quite nervous about giving certain hard-copy data to people as a result of something that happened some time ago. However, it tries to provide information to people. If it is information of the nature that the member has intimated - that is, about bag limits - it is generally very freely available, and I would be extremely disappointed if the department had not found a way to efficiently get that information to people who go to the trouble of making an inquiry. I will take up that matter with the Department of Fisheries.
I thank Hon Simon O’Brien for the question. (1)-(2) The Department of Fisheries, along with a number of other agencies - but the Department of Fisheries seems to be at the forefront of this because it deals with a large number of members of the public - obviously gains considerable efficiencies by making information available electronically. However, the department recognises that not all its clients are able to access - conveniently anyway - electronic information. It tries to make information available in hard copy. In advising people to access information electronically, it also advises that hard-copy information is available from selected points, and it tries to limit those points. Were the member’s constituent a metropolitan constituent, I think that we would be able to meet his needs at the very worst by having him call into the department’s head office in Hay Street, although it is possible that his needs could be serviced out of a subregional metropolitan office. Perhaps if the member would like to give me the details, I will ensure that his constituent is - Hon Simon O’Brien: Possibly advice could be given out through a member’s office. Hon KIM CHANCE: I certainly will raise the matter that the member has raised about hard-copy data. The member will be aware that the Department of Fisheries is quite nervous about giving certain hard-copy data to people as a result of something that happened some time ago. However, it tries to provide information to people. If it is information of the nature that the member has intimated - that is, about bag limits - it is generally very freely available, and I would be extremely disappointed if the department had not found a way to efficiently get that information to people who go to the trouble of making an inquiry. I will take up that matter with the Department of Fisheries.
(1)-(2) The Department of Fisheries, along with a number of other agencies - but the Department of Fisheries seems to be at the forefront of this because it deals with a large number of members of the public - obviously gains considerable efficiencies by making information available electronically. However, the department recognises that not all its clients are able to access - conveniently anyway - electronic information. It tries to make information available in hard copy. In advising people to access information electronically, it also advises that hard-copy information is available from selected points, and it tries to limit those points. Were the member’s constituent a metropolitan constituent, I think that we would be able to meet his needs at the very worst by having him call into the department’s head office in Hay Street, although it is possible that his needs could be serviced out of a subregional metropolitan office. Perhaps if the member would like to give me the details, I will ensure that his constituent is - Hon Simon O’Brien: Possibly advice could be given out through a member’s office. Hon KIM CHANCE: I certainly will raise the matter that the member has raised about hard-copy data. The member will be aware that the Department of Fisheries is quite nervous about giving certain hard-copy data to people as a result of something that happened some time ago. However, it tries to provide information to people. If it is information of the nature that the member has intimated - that is, about bag limits - it is generally very freely available, and I would be extremely disappointed if the department had not found a way to efficiently get that information to people who go to the trouble of making an inquiry. I will take up that matter with the Department of Fisheries.
Hon Simon O’Brien: Possibly advice could be given out through a member’s office. Hon KIM CHANCE: I certainly will raise the matter that the member has raised about hard-copy data. The member will be aware that the Department of Fisheries is quite nervous about giving certain hard-copy data to people as a result of something that happened some time ago. However, it tries to provide information to people. If it is information of the nature that the member has intimated - that is, about bag limits - it is generally very freely available, and I would be extremely disappointed if the department had not found a way to efficiently get that information to people who go to the trouble of making an inquiry. I will take up that matter with the Department of Fisheries.
Hon KIM CHANCE: I certainly will raise the matter that the member has raised about hard-copy data. The member will be aware that the Department of Fisheries is quite nervous about giving certain hard-copy data to people as a result of something that happened some time ago. However, it tries to provide information to people. If it is information of the nature that the member has intimated - that is, about bag limits - it is generally very freely available, and I would be extremely disappointed if the department had not found a way to efficiently get that information to people who go to the trouble of making an inquiry. I will take up that matter with the Department of Fisheries.
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