❓ Opposition questions the Premier on the impact of demersal fishing closures, highlighting the inclusion of a defunct mental health service in government advice. Premier defends the closures as necessary for sustainability, acknowledging the impact and outlining support measures.
AnsweredQoN 731Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Demersal fishing ban
731. Mrs Kirrilee Warr to
the Premier:
I refer to a letter
issued yesterday by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional
Development to commercial fishers affected by the government's commercial
fishing closures, which directs them to mental health crisis services including
Lifeline, Beyond Blue and Stay Afloat.
(1) How can the Premier claim that these closures
are merely inconvenient when his department is providing crisis support hotline
numbers to people whose livelihoods he has just shut down?
(2) Is the Premier aware that federal funding for
Stay Afloat ended on 30 September 2025, that the program no longer operates in
WA and that his department's letter directs fishers to a helpline service that
does not exist?
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
731. Mrs Kirrilee Warr to
the Premier:
I refer to a letter
issued yesterday by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional
Development to commercial fishers affected by the government's commercial
fishing closures, which directs them to mental health crisis services including
Lifeline, Beyond Blue and Stay Afloat.
(1) How can the Premier claim that these closures
are merely inconvenient when his department is providing crisis support hotline
numbers to people whose livelihoods he has just shut down?
(2) Is the Premier aware that federal funding for
Stay Afloat ended on 30 September 2025, that the program no longer operates in
WA and that his department's letter directs fishers to a helpline service that
does not exist?
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I thank the member for the
question. It gives me another opportunity to remind Western Australians that
this government is making tough decisions to stand up for future generations of
fishers, ensuring that our demersal fish stocks are protected and that we can
continue to fish sustainably into the future. Of course, we understand that
this is impactful. We understand that this decision is disappointing and
inconvenient for some. It will be devastating—
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members of the opposition!
Mr Roger Cook: It will be inconvenient for some and
devastating for others and, as a result, we are doing everything we can to work
with the industry as we—
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt, I call you
for the second time for disorderly interjections.
Mr Roger Cook: We are continuing to work with the
industry, as we have all along, to ensure that we come up with a solution for
the protection of our demersal fish stocks. That includes continuing to make
sure that the West Coast region will ultimately be only for recreational fishers
after a 21-month suspension, making sure that we create a more sustainable
Pilbara fisheries with the withdrawal of trawling licences and continuing to
make sure that people can fish in regions such as the Gascoyne and the South
Coast where there are greater fish stocks while limiting bag takes and catches
to ensure that it becomes more sustainable. We understand that this has had a heavy
impact. DPIRD, in relation to that ongoing work, wrote a letter and it referred
them to, amongst—
Mrs Kirrilee Warr interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Geraldton!
Mr Roger Cook: DPIRD wrote a letter to stakeholders in
relation to a number of support organisations.
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt!
Mr Roger Cook: It is true that Stay Afloat suspended
its services due to a Commonwealth government funding decision. That is
obviously regrettable, but it is good that DPIRD also referred to other
services that can support people as they deal with these important decisions. I
stress that we understand that this was a tough decision. It was a tough and hard
decision, but it is the decision that we have made on behalf of future
generations of fishers to ensure that we have a more sustainable approach to
our demersal fish stocks.
question. It gives me another opportunity to remind Western Australians that
this government is making tough decisions to stand up for future generations of
fishers, ensuring that our demersal fish stocks are protected and that we can
continue to fish sustainably into the future. Of course, we understand that
this is impactful. We understand that this decision is disappointing and
inconvenient for some. It will be devastating—
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members of the opposition!
Mr Roger Cook: It will be inconvenient for some and
devastating for others and, as a result, we are doing everything we can to work
with the industry as we—
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt, I call you
for the second time for disorderly interjections.
Mr Roger Cook: We are continuing to work with the
industry, as we have all along, to ensure that we come up with a solution for
the protection of our demersal fish stocks. That includes continuing to make
sure that the West Coast region will ultimately be only for recreational fishers
after a 21-month suspension, making sure that we create a more sustainable
Pilbara fisheries with the withdrawal of trawling licences and continuing to
make sure that people can fish in regions such as the Gascoyne and the South
Coast where there are greater fish stocks while limiting bag takes and catches
to ensure that it becomes more sustainable. We understand that this has had a heavy
impact. DPIRD, in relation to that ongoing work, wrote a letter and it referred
them to, amongst—
Mrs Kirrilee Warr interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Geraldton!
Mr Roger Cook: DPIRD wrote a letter to stakeholders in
relation to a number of support organisations.
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt!
Mr Roger Cook: It is true that Stay Afloat suspended
its services due to a Commonwealth government funding decision. That is
obviously regrettable, but it is good that DPIRD also referred to other
services that can support people as they deal with these important decisions. I
stress that we understand that this was a tough decision. It was a tough and hard
decision, but it is the decision that we have made on behalf of future
generations of fishers to ensure that we have a more sustainable approach to
our demersal fish stocks.
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