❓ Mr. Blayney questions the legality of the Minister's Western Rock Lobster policy, which aims to reserve some lobster for local businesses. The Minister defends the policy, stating legal advice supports it and challenges the opposition's stance on local lobster availability.
AnsweredQoN 338Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WESTERN ROCK LOBSTER
FISHERY
338. Mr I.C. BLAYNEY to the Minister for Fisheries:
I refer to the minister's
ham-fisted attempt to nationalise the crayfishing industry and my previous
question about the legality of his policy.
(1) Has the minister been made
aware of any legal impediments to implementing the policy?
(2) Has the
minister received any advice regarding these issues; and, if so, will he update
the house on those issues and how the state intends to deal with them?
FISHERY
338. Mr I.C. BLAYNEY to the Minister for Fisheries:
I refer to the minister's
ham-fisted attempt to nationalise the crayfishing industry and my previous
question about the legality of his policy.
(1) Has the minister been made
aware of any legal impediments to implementing the policy?
(2) Has the
minister received any advice regarding these issues; and, if so, will he update
the house on those issues and how the state intends to deal with them?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) It
is a pleasure to have the member for Geraldton back. I thank him for the
question on this important issue. The member for Geraldton is clearly referring
to correspondence that has been sent to us by some members of the commercial
fishing industry providing legal advice that they claim would make it illegal
for the Western Australian government to have a domestic supply of lobster here
in Western Australia. It is a legal letter that raises all sorts of questions
about preventing Western Australian lobsters going to the eastern states or
from being exported and preventing Western Australian lobsters from being
reserved for Western Australian businesses in the tourism and hospitality
industries. That correspondence raised all those questions and stated that it
would be illegal.
I will say two things to the member.
Firstly, the advice we have received is that there is no problem with us having
a domestic supply of lobster here in WA. We are working constructively with the
department and the industry to put that in place. Secondly, the question that
Liberal Party and National Party members have to answer is whether they support
a domestic quota for Western Australian businesses, tourism operators, and restauranteurs. Do they support
those Western Australian businesses being able to access this premium seafood to create jobs here in Western Australia?
A few weeks ago, I visited the Geraldton Chamber of Commerce. It is very
keen that there be more lobster available in the local market. Businesses up
there see the lack of local lobster as an impediment to their business. I have
had correspondence raising this issue from businesses in all the crayfishing
towns up the coast as far as Kalbarri. We are trying to work constructively
with the department on this issue.
Mr I.C. Blayney interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, do not
encourage him.
Mr D.J. KELLY : The question
for the Liberal Party and the National Party is whether they really support
there being more local lobster available in Western Australia or not.
Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr D.J. KELLY : That is the
key to creating more Western Australian jobs.
The SPEAKER : That is the end
of question time.
is a pleasure to have the member for Geraldton back. I thank him for the
question on this important issue. The member for Geraldton is clearly referring
to correspondence that has been sent to us by some members of the commercial
fishing industry providing legal advice that they claim would make it illegal
for the Western Australian government to have a domestic supply of lobster here
in Western Australia. It is a legal letter that raises all sorts of questions
about preventing Western Australian lobsters going to the eastern states or
from being exported and preventing Western Australian lobsters from being
reserved for Western Australian businesses in the tourism and hospitality
industries. That correspondence raised all those questions and stated that it
would be illegal.
I will say two things to the member.
Firstly, the advice we have received is that there is no problem with us having
a domestic supply of lobster here in WA. We are working constructively with the
department and the industry to put that in place. Secondly, the question that
Liberal Party and National Party members have to answer is whether they support
a domestic quota for Western Australian businesses, tourism operators, and restauranteurs. Do they support
those Western Australian businesses being able to access this premium seafood to create jobs here in Western Australia?
A few weeks ago, I visited the Geraldton Chamber of Commerce. It is very
keen that there be more lobster available in the local market. Businesses up
there see the lack of local lobster as an impediment to their business. I have
had correspondence raising this issue from businesses in all the crayfishing
towns up the coast as far as Kalbarri. We are trying to work constructively
with the department on this issue.
Mr I.C. Blayney interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, do not
encourage him.
Mr D.J. KELLY : The question
for the Liberal Party and the National Party is whether they really support
there being more local lobster available in Western Australia or not.
Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr D.J. KELLY : That is the
key to creating more Western Australian jobs.
The SPEAKER : That is the end
of question time.
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