❓ Hon Jon Ford questions the Minister for Fisheries about a potentially insensitive Alston cartoon included in correspondence to rock lobster fishers facing hardship. The Minister expresses anger and confirms the department has apologised.
AnsweredQoN 747Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
ROCK LOBSTER INDUSTRY — ALSTON CARTOON
I draw the minister’s attention to a document sent out recently to all Western Australian rock lobster fishers, which included an Alston cartoon making light of the current duress that Western Australian rock lobster fishers and their families are facing. (1) Does the minister endorse the inclusion of this cartoon in Department of Fisheries correspondence to the Western Australian rock lobster industry? (2) If no to (1), what is the minister’s view of the Department of Fisheries’ inclusion of this cartoon? (3) Will the minister apologise to the affected fishers and their families? Hon NORMAN MOORE
I draw the minister’s attention to a document sent out recently to all Western Australian rock lobster fishers, which included an Alston cartoon making light of the current duress that Western Australian rock lobster fishers and their families are facing. (1) Does the minister endorse the inclusion of this cartoon in Department of Fisheries correspondence to the Western Australian rock lobster industry? (2) If no to (1), what is the minister’s view of the Department of Fisheries’ inclusion of this cartoon? (3) Will the minister apologise to the affected fishers and their families? Hon NORMAN MOORE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for the question. (1)–(3) I became aware of this matter today, and I have to say that I was very angry when I realised what had been sent out to rock lobster fishers. It was a cartoon by Alston that is a poor reflection of the circumstances faced by rock lobster fishers, in some cases, in Western Australia; not all cases. I sought the reasons behind this and I have been told that licence renewal packages for the west coast rock lobster fishery are posted out annually to rock lobster fishers. I am advised that, in keeping with past practice—this may well have happened in Hon Jon Ford’s time as Minister for Fisheries—the brochure that is sent out with the renewal package features a cartoon on a topical issue facing commercial rock lobster fishing; I gather that the cartoon has been done by Alston from time to time. If one visits the centre at Hillarys, one will see a lot of his cartoons on the walls. I gather that the person who has been doing this for years did it again this year, but in my view, this particular cartoon is very insensitive. The chief executive officer of the Department of Fisheries, Stuart Smith, has written to all rock lobster fishers to apologise on behalf of the department.
(1) Does the minister endorse the inclusion of this cartoon in Department of Fisheries correspondence to the Western Australian rock lobster industry? (2) If no to (1), what is the minister’s view of the Department of Fisheries’ inclusion of this cartoon? (3) Will the minister apologise to the affected fishers and their families? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the honourable member for the question. (1)–(3) I became aware of this matter today, and I have to say that I was very angry when I realised what had been sent out to rock lobster fishers. It was a cartoon by Alston that is a poor reflection of the circumstances faced by rock lobster fishers, in some cases, in Western Australia; not all cases. I sought the reasons behind this and I have been told that licence renewal packages for the west coast rock lobster fishery are posted out annually to rock lobster fishers. I am advised that, in keeping with past practice—this may well have happened in Hon Jon Ford’s time as Minister for Fisheries—the brochure that is sent out with the renewal package features a cartoon on a topical issue facing commercial rock lobster fishing; I gather that the cartoon has been done by Alston from time to time. If one visits the centre at Hillarys, one will see a lot of his cartoons on the walls. I gather that the person who has been doing this for years did it again this year, but in my view, this particular cartoon is very insensitive. The chief executive officer of the Department of Fisheries, Stuart Smith, has written to all rock lobster fishers to apologise on behalf of the department.
(2) If no to (1), what is the minister’s view of the Department of Fisheries’ inclusion of this cartoon? (3) Will the minister apologise to the affected fishers and their families? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the honourable member for the question. (1)–(3) I became aware of this matter today, and I have to say that I was very angry when I realised what had been sent out to rock lobster fishers. It was a cartoon by Alston that is a poor reflection of the circumstances faced by rock lobster fishers, in some cases, in Western Australia; not all cases. I sought the reasons behind this and I have been told that licence renewal packages for the west coast rock lobster fishery are posted out annually to rock lobster fishers. I am advised that, in keeping with past practice—this may well have happened in Hon Jon Ford’s time as Minister for Fisheries—the brochure that is sent out with the renewal package features a cartoon on a topical issue facing commercial rock lobster fishing; I gather that the cartoon has been done by Alston from time to time. If one visits the centre at Hillarys, one will see a lot of his cartoons on the walls. I gather that the person who has been doing this for years did it again this year, but in my view, this particular cartoon is very insensitive. The chief executive officer of the Department of Fisheries, Stuart Smith, has written to all rock lobster fishers to apologise on behalf of the department.
(3) Will the minister apologise to the affected fishers and their families? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the honourable member for the question. (1)–(3) I became aware of this matter today, and I have to say that I was very angry when I realised what had been sent out to rock lobster fishers. It was a cartoon by Alston that is a poor reflection of the circumstances faced by rock lobster fishers, in some cases, in Western Australia; not all cases. I sought the reasons behind this and I have been told that licence renewal packages for the west coast rock lobster fishery are posted out annually to rock lobster fishers. I am advised that, in keeping with past practice—this may well have happened in Hon Jon Ford’s time as Minister for Fisheries—the brochure that is sent out with the renewal package features a cartoon on a topical issue facing commercial rock lobster fishing; I gather that the cartoon has been done by Alston from time to time. If one visits the centre at Hillarys, one will see a lot of his cartoons on the walls. I gather that the person who has been doing this for years did it again this year, but in my view, this particular cartoon is very insensitive. The chief executive officer of the Department of Fisheries, Stuart Smith, has written to all rock lobster fishers to apologise on behalf of the department.
Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the honourable member for the question. (1)–(3) I became aware of this matter today, and I have to say that I was very angry when I realised what had been sent out to rock lobster fishers. It was a cartoon by Alston that is a poor reflection of the circumstances faced by rock lobster fishers, in some cases, in Western Australia; not all cases. I sought the reasons behind this and I have been told that licence renewal packages for the west coast rock lobster fishery are posted out annually to rock lobster fishers. I am advised that, in keeping with past practice—this may well have happened in Hon Jon Ford’s time as Minister for Fisheries—the brochure that is sent out with the renewal package features a cartoon on a topical issue facing commercial rock lobster fishing; I gather that the cartoon has been done by Alston from time to time. If one visits the centre at Hillarys, one will see a lot of his cartoons on the walls. I gather that the person who has been doing this for years did it again this year, but in my view, this particular cartoon is very insensitive. The chief executive officer of the Department of Fisheries, Stuart Smith, has written to all rock lobster fishers to apologise on behalf of the department.
I thank the honourable member for the question. (1)–(3) I became aware of this matter today, and I have to say that I was very angry when I realised what had been sent out to rock lobster fishers. It was a cartoon by Alston that is a poor reflection of the circumstances faced by rock lobster fishers, in some cases, in Western Australia; not all cases. I sought the reasons behind this and I have been told that licence renewal packages for the west coast rock lobster fishery are posted out annually to rock lobster fishers. I am advised that, in keeping with past practice—this may well have happened in Hon Jon Ford’s time as Minister for Fisheries—the brochure that is sent out with the renewal package features a cartoon on a topical issue facing commercial rock lobster fishing; I gather that the cartoon has been done by Alston from time to time. If one visits the centre at Hillarys, one will see a lot of his cartoons on the walls. I gather that the person who has been doing this for years did it again this year, but in my view, this particular cartoon is very insensitive. The chief executive officer of the Department of Fisheries, Stuart Smith, has written to all rock lobster fishers to apologise on behalf of the department.
(1)–(3) I became aware of this matter today, and I have to say that I was very angry when I realised what had been sent out to rock lobster fishers. It was a cartoon by Alston that is a poor reflection of the circumstances faced by rock lobster fishers, in some cases, in Western Australia; not all cases. I sought the reasons behind this and I have been told that licence renewal packages for the west coast rock lobster fishery are posted out annually to rock lobster fishers. I am advised that, in keeping with past practice—this may well have happened in Hon Jon Ford’s time as Minister for Fisheries—the brochure that is sent out with the renewal package features a cartoon on a topical issue facing commercial rock lobster fishing; I gather that the cartoon has been done by Alston from time to time. If one visits the centre at Hillarys, one will see a lot of his cartoons on the walls. I gather that the person who has been doing this for years did it again this year, but in my view, this particular cartoon is very insensitive. The chief executive officer of the Department of Fisheries, Stuart Smith, has written to all rock lobster fishers to apologise on behalf of the department.
(1) Does the minister endorse the inclusion of this cartoon in Department of Fisheries correspondence to the Western Australian rock lobster industry? (2) If no to (1), what is the minister’s view of the Department of Fisheries’ inclusion of this cartoon? (3) Will the minister apologise to the affected fishers and their families? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the honourable member for the question. (1)–(3) I became aware of this matter today, and I have to say that I was very angry when I realised what had been sent out to rock lobster fishers. It was a cartoon by Alston that is a poor reflection of the circumstances faced by rock lobster fishers, in some cases, in Western Australia; not all cases. I sought the reasons behind this and I have been told that licence renewal packages for the west coast rock lobster fishery are posted out annually to rock lobster fishers. I am advised that, in keeping with past practice—this may well have happened in Hon Jon Ford’s time as Minister for Fisheries—the brochure that is sent out with the renewal package features a cartoon on a topical issue facing commercial rock lobster fishing; I gather that the cartoon has been done by Alston from time to time. If one visits the centre at Hillarys, one will see a lot of his cartoons on the walls. I gather that the person who has been doing this for years did it again this year, but in my view, this particular cartoon is very insensitive. The chief executive officer of the Department of Fisheries, Stuart Smith, has written to all rock lobster fishers to apologise on behalf of the department.
(2) If no to (1), what is the minister’s view of the Department of Fisheries’ inclusion of this cartoon? (3) Will the minister apologise to the affected fishers and their families? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the honourable member for the question. (1)–(3) I became aware of this matter today, and I have to say that I was very angry when I realised what had been sent out to rock lobster fishers. It was a cartoon by Alston that is a poor reflection of the circumstances faced by rock lobster fishers, in some cases, in Western Australia; not all cases. I sought the reasons behind this and I have been told that licence renewal packages for the west coast rock lobster fishery are posted out annually to rock lobster fishers. I am advised that, in keeping with past practice—this may well have happened in Hon Jon Ford’s time as Minister for Fisheries—the brochure that is sent out with the renewal package features a cartoon on a topical issue facing commercial rock lobster fishing; I gather that the cartoon has been done by Alston from time to time. If one visits the centre at Hillarys, one will see a lot of his cartoons on the walls. I gather that the person who has been doing this for years did it again this year, but in my view, this particular cartoon is very insensitive. The chief executive officer of the Department of Fisheries, Stuart Smith, has written to all rock lobster fishers to apologise on behalf of the department.
(3) Will the minister apologise to the affected fishers and their families? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the honourable member for the question. (1)–(3) I became aware of this matter today, and I have to say that I was very angry when I realised what had been sent out to rock lobster fishers. It was a cartoon by Alston that is a poor reflection of the circumstances faced by rock lobster fishers, in some cases, in Western Australia; not all cases. I sought the reasons behind this and I have been told that licence renewal packages for the west coast rock lobster fishery are posted out annually to rock lobster fishers. I am advised that, in keeping with past practice—this may well have happened in Hon Jon Ford’s time as Minister for Fisheries—the brochure that is sent out with the renewal package features a cartoon on a topical issue facing commercial rock lobster fishing; I gather that the cartoon has been done by Alston from time to time. If one visits the centre at Hillarys, one will see a lot of his cartoons on the walls. I gather that the person who has been doing this for years did it again this year, but in my view, this particular cartoon is very insensitive. The chief executive officer of the Department of Fisheries, Stuart Smith, has written to all rock lobster fishers to apologise on behalf of the department.
Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the honourable member for the question. (1)–(3) I became aware of this matter today, and I have to say that I was very angry when I realised what had been sent out to rock lobster fishers. It was a cartoon by Alston that is a poor reflection of the circumstances faced by rock lobster fishers, in some cases, in Western Australia; not all cases. I sought the reasons behind this and I have been told that licence renewal packages for the west coast rock lobster fishery are posted out annually to rock lobster fishers. I am advised that, in keeping with past practice—this may well have happened in Hon Jon Ford’s time as Minister for Fisheries—the brochure that is sent out with the renewal package features a cartoon on a topical issue facing commercial rock lobster fishing; I gather that the cartoon has been done by Alston from time to time. If one visits the centre at Hillarys, one will see a lot of his cartoons on the walls. I gather that the person who has been doing this for years did it again this year, but in my view, this particular cartoon is very insensitive. The chief executive officer of the Department of Fisheries, Stuart Smith, has written to all rock lobster fishers to apologise on behalf of the department.
I thank the honourable member for the question. (1)–(3) I became aware of this matter today, and I have to say that I was very angry when I realised what had been sent out to rock lobster fishers. It was a cartoon by Alston that is a poor reflection of the circumstances faced by rock lobster fishers, in some cases, in Western Australia; not all cases. I sought the reasons behind this and I have been told that licence renewal packages for the west coast rock lobster fishery are posted out annually to rock lobster fishers. I am advised that, in keeping with past practice—this may well have happened in Hon Jon Ford’s time as Minister for Fisheries—the brochure that is sent out with the renewal package features a cartoon on a topical issue facing commercial rock lobster fishing; I gather that the cartoon has been done by Alston from time to time. If one visits the centre at Hillarys, one will see a lot of his cartoons on the walls. I gather that the person who has been doing this for years did it again this year, but in my view, this particular cartoon is very insensitive. The chief executive officer of the Department of Fisheries, Stuart Smith, has written to all rock lobster fishers to apologise on behalf of the department.
(1)–(3) I became aware of this matter today, and I have to say that I was very angry when I realised what had been sent out to rock lobster fishers. It was a cartoon by Alston that is a poor reflection of the circumstances faced by rock lobster fishers, in some cases, in Western Australia; not all cases. I sought the reasons behind this and I have been told that licence renewal packages for the west coast rock lobster fishery are posted out annually to rock lobster fishers. I am advised that, in keeping with past practice—this may well have happened in Hon Jon Ford’s time as Minister for Fisheries—the brochure that is sent out with the renewal package features a cartoon on a topical issue facing commercial rock lobster fishing; I gather that the cartoon has been done by Alston from time to time. If one visits the centre at Hillarys, one will see a lot of his cartoons on the walls. I gather that the person who has been doing this for years did it again this year, but in my view, this particular cartoon is very insensitive. The chief executive officer of the Department of Fisheries, Stuart Smith, has written to all rock lobster fishers to apologise on behalf of the department.
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