❓ Question regarding the effectiveness of the SMART drum line trial in Gracetown compared to the previous government's lethal drum line program. The Minister outlines the trial's details, including technology and stakeholder engagement, while criticizing the opposition's approach.
AnsweredQoN 93Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
SHARKS — HAZARD MITIGATION — DRUM
LINE TRIAL — GRACETOWN
93. Mr M.J. FOLKARD to the Minister for Fisheries:
Being a keen surf lifesaver and an
absolute champion of aquatic safety, can the minister update the house on how
the scientific, non-lethal Shark-Management-Alert-in-Real-Time drum line trial,
which began today off the Gracetown coast, will provide answers to the
effectiveness of the technology, and can the minister outline to the house how
this compares with the way in which the previous Liberal–National
government conducted a chaotic lethal drum line program off the coast?
LINE TRIAL — GRACETOWN
93. Mr M.J. FOLKARD to the Minister for Fisheries:
Being a keen surf lifesaver and an
absolute champion of aquatic safety, can the minister update the house on how
the scientific, non-lethal Shark-Management-Alert-in-Real-Time drum line trial,
which began today off the Gracetown coast, will provide answers to the
effectiveness of the technology, and can the minister outline to the house how
this compares with the way in which the previous Liberal–National
government conducted a chaotic lethal drum line program off the coast?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Burns Beach
for the question and for his commitment to safety along our coastline. I can
inform the house that the SMART drum line trial commenced today in Gracetown.
All 10 SMART drum lines were deployed this morning by the contractor. It was a very
smooth rollout this morning, which I think is indicative of the planning this
government has put into this trial.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse!
Mr D.J. KELLY : Members will
remember that we initially were hopeful that the New South Wales government
would provide the data from its trial, but when that data was not forthcoming,
we committed to running our own trial. That trial began today. I will talk
about the way in which we are conducting the trial in the Gracetown area. There
will be 10 drum lines north and south of Gracetown. We also installed three VR4
satellite receivers in the Gracetown area. Members would be aware that these
VR4 receivers are the satellite receivers that pick up tagged sharks. Under the
previous government, that area of the coast—the Gracetown–Margaret
River area—had no presence of VR4 receivers.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse, I am sure you want to hear the answer.
Mr D.J. KELLY : Despite the
activity along that coast in recent years, in the eight and a half years of the
previous government it never extended the shark monitoring network to that
area. We have done that. Those VR4 receivers will work in conjunction with the
SMART drum line trial. We have also, as part of the trial, installed nine
Spectur beach alarms. Those alarms will alert beachgoers who are already in the
water when a tagged shark has been detected. There are nine of them to work in
conjunction with the SMART drum line trial. If a surfer is in the water and a tagged
shark is identified in the area, there will be flashing lights and an alarm to
let people know to leave the water and that the beach is then closed. That is
local technology, built here in Western Australia. It is also being trialled by
the shire, but with these nine units, we have really enhanced the SMART drum
line trial.
In planning the trial, we put
together a ministerial reference group, which included the shire, Surf Life
Saving WA, Surfing WA, Sea Shepherd and the Conservation Council of Western Australia.
All those people, for the first time in Western Australia, have sat around the
table and talked about what we need to do to deal with this problem. It is
because we have all those people with disparate views around the table that the
rollout this morning was so smooth. But do we get applause from members on the
other side? The member for Vasse is out there criticising us for allowing
groups that are sceptical of this technology to be involved in the planning.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse!
Mr D.J. KELLY : That is
indicative of the confrontational way in which members opposite deal with this
issue.
Several members interjected.
Mr D.J. KELLY : It is an
absolutely confrontational way.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr D.J. KELLY : Member for
Cottesloe, another job has just become vacant for you today. Just keep that in
mind.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr D.J. KELLY : We are
conducting this trial based on science. We will have the Chief Scientist
evaluate the trial at the end of the 15-month period, to tell us whether this
technology actually reduces the chances of a shark attack. That is what this is
all about. We know we can catch sharks, we know we can tag them, we know we can
relocate them and we know we can release them, but what we do not know is
whether this technology will actually reduce the chances of future shark
attacks.
I will finish by saying that I really
wish the opposition would come on board with this. I now know that the member
for Geraldton has had the shark mitigation portfolio wrested from him by the
member for Vasse. I congratulate her on her new title as opposition
spokesperson for sharks, but I would just say to her: do a bit of research.
Several members interjected.
Mr D.J. KELLY : When we
announced this trial —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : The minister has
the call.
Mr D.J. KELLY : When we
announced this trial and when we announced that we had purchased the drum
lines, clearly the member for Vasse did not know —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members! Do you
want question time to finish early today?
Mr Z.R.F. Kirkup interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Dawesville, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr D.J. KELLY : Despite
wanting this technology used in WA, the member for Vasse did not realise that
they were manufactured in Europe. Then, when we announced the parameters of
this trial—that the drum lines would be set only when the weather
permitted—the member for Vasse complained about that! She did not know
that this technology could be deployed only —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse!
Mr D.J. KELLY : She did not
understand that this technology could only be deployed weather permitting. She
was out there saying that they should be deployed in all weather conditions.
Mrs A.K. Hayden interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Darling Range, I call you to order for the third time.
Mr D.J. KELLY : Given the
tragedy that occurred to a drum line operator in Queensland, member for Vasse,
I thought that was in very bad taste.
Finally, and this is the one I like
best: the member for Vasse does not know the difference between a shark and a dolphin.
Early December last year, there was a photo in the paper. Someone produced a photo
of something jumping out of the water in the member for Dawesville's
electorate. The member for Vasse said it was proof that we need drum lines in
the member for Dawesville's electorate. If she had waited 24 hours, the
scientists would have confirmed it was a dolphin and not a shark.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister, come
on.
Mr D.J. KELLY : If I can
finish: being the member for sharks is one thing; being the member for spooky
dolphins is quite another thing.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Minister, you will get to the end of this because other ministers want
questions.
Mr D.J. KELLY : If I could
hear myself speak, Mr Speaker, I would get to my —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Churchlands, I call you to order for the first time.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : The more noise
you make, the fewer questions you have.
Mr D.J. KELLY : I will finish
simply by saying that we have approached this issue on the basis of science.
Whether it be promoting personal shark deterrents or the installation of the
beach emergency numbers signs, which have been very useful to emergency
services in recent weeks, we will approach this issue on science, and I wish
the opposition members would come onboard.
for the question and for his commitment to safety along our coastline. I can
inform the house that the SMART drum line trial commenced today in Gracetown.
All 10 SMART drum lines were deployed this morning by the contractor. It was a very
smooth rollout this morning, which I think is indicative of the planning this
government has put into this trial.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse!
Mr D.J. KELLY : Members will
remember that we initially were hopeful that the New South Wales government
would provide the data from its trial, but when that data was not forthcoming,
we committed to running our own trial. That trial began today. I will talk
about the way in which we are conducting the trial in the Gracetown area. There
will be 10 drum lines north and south of Gracetown. We also installed three VR4
satellite receivers in the Gracetown area. Members would be aware that these
VR4 receivers are the satellite receivers that pick up tagged sharks. Under the
previous government, that area of the coast—the Gracetown–Margaret
River area—had no presence of VR4 receivers.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse, I am sure you want to hear the answer.
Mr D.J. KELLY : Despite the
activity along that coast in recent years, in the eight and a half years of the
previous government it never extended the shark monitoring network to that
area. We have done that. Those VR4 receivers will work in conjunction with the
SMART drum line trial. We have also, as part of the trial, installed nine
Spectur beach alarms. Those alarms will alert beachgoers who are already in the
water when a tagged shark has been detected. There are nine of them to work in
conjunction with the SMART drum line trial. If a surfer is in the water and a tagged
shark is identified in the area, there will be flashing lights and an alarm to
let people know to leave the water and that the beach is then closed. That is
local technology, built here in Western Australia. It is also being trialled by
the shire, but with these nine units, we have really enhanced the SMART drum
line trial.
In planning the trial, we put
together a ministerial reference group, which included the shire, Surf Life
Saving WA, Surfing WA, Sea Shepherd and the Conservation Council of Western Australia.
All those people, for the first time in Western Australia, have sat around the
table and talked about what we need to do to deal with this problem. It is
because we have all those people with disparate views around the table that the
rollout this morning was so smooth. But do we get applause from members on the
other side? The member for Vasse is out there criticising us for allowing
groups that are sceptical of this technology to be involved in the planning.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse!
Mr D.J. KELLY : That is
indicative of the confrontational way in which members opposite deal with this
issue.
Several members interjected.
Mr D.J. KELLY : It is an
absolutely confrontational way.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr D.J. KELLY : Member for
Cottesloe, another job has just become vacant for you today. Just keep that in
mind.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr D.J. KELLY : We are
conducting this trial based on science. We will have the Chief Scientist
evaluate the trial at the end of the 15-month period, to tell us whether this
technology actually reduces the chances of a shark attack. That is what this is
all about. We know we can catch sharks, we know we can tag them, we know we can
relocate them and we know we can release them, but what we do not know is
whether this technology will actually reduce the chances of future shark
attacks.
I will finish by saying that I really
wish the opposition would come on board with this. I now know that the member
for Geraldton has had the shark mitigation portfolio wrested from him by the
member for Vasse. I congratulate her on her new title as opposition
spokesperson for sharks, but I would just say to her: do a bit of research.
Several members interjected.
Mr D.J. KELLY : When we
announced this trial —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : The minister has
the call.
Mr D.J. KELLY : When we
announced this trial and when we announced that we had purchased the drum
lines, clearly the member for Vasse did not know —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members! Do you
want question time to finish early today?
Mr Z.R.F. Kirkup interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Dawesville, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr D.J. KELLY : Despite
wanting this technology used in WA, the member for Vasse did not realise that
they were manufactured in Europe. Then, when we announced the parameters of
this trial—that the drum lines would be set only when the weather
permitted—the member for Vasse complained about that! She did not know
that this technology could be deployed only —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse!
Mr D.J. KELLY : She did not
understand that this technology could only be deployed weather permitting. She
was out there saying that they should be deployed in all weather conditions.
Mrs A.K. Hayden interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Darling Range, I call you to order for the third time.
Mr D.J. KELLY : Given the
tragedy that occurred to a drum line operator in Queensland, member for Vasse,
I thought that was in very bad taste.
Finally, and this is the one I like
best: the member for Vasse does not know the difference between a shark and a dolphin.
Early December last year, there was a photo in the paper. Someone produced a photo
of something jumping out of the water in the member for Dawesville's
electorate. The member for Vasse said it was proof that we need drum lines in
the member for Dawesville's electorate. If she had waited 24 hours, the
scientists would have confirmed it was a dolphin and not a shark.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister, come
on.
Mr D.J. KELLY : If I can
finish: being the member for sharks is one thing; being the member for spooky
dolphins is quite another thing.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Minister, you will get to the end of this because other ministers want
questions.
Mr D.J. KELLY : If I could
hear myself speak, Mr Speaker, I would get to my —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Churchlands, I call you to order for the first time.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : The more noise
you make, the fewer questions you have.
Mr D.J. KELLY : I will finish
simply by saying that we have approached this issue on the basis of science.
Whether it be promoting personal shark deterrents or the installation of the
beach emergency numbers signs, which have been very useful to emergency
services in recent weeks, we will approach this issue on science, and I wish
the opposition members would come onboard.
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