Mr. Blayney questions the Minister for Fisheries about communication with the rock lobster industry and requests participation in a roundtable event to address concerns like licence security and levy fund delays. The Minister responds that communication is ongoing and a roundtable hasn't been requested.

AnsweredQoN 940Legislative Assembly
Asked
23 October 2019
Portfolio
Fisheries

QuestionView source ↗

WESTERN ROCK LOBSTER
INDUSTRY — ROUNDTABLE EVENT
940. Mr I.C. BLAYNEY to the Minister for Fisheries:
The rock lobster industry has
expressed concerns to me that the minister has stifled communication with
relevant representative groups regarding
ongoing and unresolved issues affecting fishers. Will the minister participate
in a Western Australian Fishing Industry Council–convened
cross-industry roundtable event and address issues, including the lack of long-term licence security and delays in passing
on the $195 000 in levy funds raised last year?

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the member for the question.
As the member knows, there were some disagreements with the industry on how we
would progress in developing a domestic lobster supply—something that I
think most Western Australians would have seen as a very good thing. The
government has put that plan to one side. Since then, we have been continuing
to hold discussions with the western rock lobster industry as per normal. The
department of fisheries has continued to
meet regularly with the industry. Just last week, the department held its usual
industry meetings in Fremantle and
Geraldton. A range of the industry's issues that the member just talked
about were discussed. I continue to meet with the Western Australian
Fishing Industry Council, the peak body that represents all commercial fishers
in this state. From my perspective, it is business as usual. There has been no
request from WAFIC to convene the meeting
that the member has referred to. We are happy to talk to the industry and
continue to talk to the industry on a whole range of issues, and we
remain willing to do so.

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