❓ Hon Lynn MacLaren questions the Premier regarding the Public Environmental Review (PER) for the shark hazard mitigation drum line program, focusing on omitted community perception data, questionable data sources, and limited stakeholder consultation. The Premier's response defends the program's implementation and data used.
AnsweredQoN 842Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
SHARK HAZARD MITIGATION
DRUM LINE PROGRAM 2014–2017 — PUBLIC ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
842. Hon LYNN MacLAREN to the
Leader of the House representing the Premier:
I refer to the public environmental review document for the Western
Australian shark hazard mitigation drum line program 2014–2017.
(1) Why does the PER document omit the
community perceptions study that the WA government commissioned Marketforce and
Metrix to conduct at a cost of $53 000 in May 2013, which found, in line with
other polls and surveys, that more than 80 per cent of Western Australians do
not support killing sharks as a method of shark hazard mitigation, and that
most—67 per cent in the metropolitan area and 83 per cent in the
regions—either increased or did not change their frequency of beach use
during the period in which most of the recent WA shark fatalities occurred?
(2) In the PER document, section 4.4 on
socio-economic and cultural considerations related to the proposal extensively
references an article by Australian News Commentary, an anonymously-authored
website, that describes itself as independent commentary to counter
left-leaning, politically correct bigotry of a majority of mainstream
journalists. Is this the quality of data that the Premier uses on which to base
his decisions?
(3) Given section 4.4 of the PER document
makes several claims about the impact of fatal shark attacks on the WA tourism
industry, including that the tourism industry is deeply concerned, why are no
tourism organisations other than Eventscorp listed in the PER document under
stakeholders consulted about the proposal?
DRUM LINE PROGRAM 2014–2017 — PUBLIC ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
842. Hon LYNN MacLAREN to the
Leader of the House representing the Premier:
I refer to the public environmental review document for the Western
Australian shark hazard mitigation drum line program 2014–2017.
(1) Why does the PER document omit the
community perceptions study that the WA government commissioned Marketforce and
Metrix to conduct at a cost of $53 000 in May 2013, which found, in line with
other polls and surveys, that more than 80 per cent of Western Australians do
not support killing sharks as a method of shark hazard mitigation, and that
most—67 per cent in the metropolitan area and 83 per cent in the
regions—either increased or did not change their frequency of beach use
during the period in which most of the recent WA shark fatalities occurred?
(2) In the PER document, section 4.4 on
socio-economic and cultural considerations related to the proposal extensively
references an article by Australian News Commentary, an anonymously-authored
website, that describes itself as independent commentary to counter
left-leaning, politically correct bigotry of a majority of mainstream
journalists. Is this the quality of data that the Premier uses on which to base
his decisions?
(3) Given section 4.4 of the PER document
makes several claims about the impact of fatal shark attacks on the WA tourism
industry, including that the tourism industry is deeply concerned, why are no
tourism organisations other than Eventscorp listed in the PER document under
stakeholders consulted about the proposal?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice
of this question.
(1) Section
2.4.1, on page 12 of the public environment review, refers to a four-year
community engagement strategy to explore the use of community-based programs to
contribute to public safety along the Western Australian coast. This includes
the study the member refers to in her question. After the May 2013 survey,
another shark fatality occurred in Gracetown in November 2013. This was the
seventh fatal shark attack in three years. Following this, the government
decided to complement the existing shark hazard mitigation strategies with the
deployment of a limited number of drum lines over a limited time on the
metropolitan and south west coasts. The implementation of this drum line
program drew upon a wide range of shark control programs that operate
nationally and internationally.
(2) No
quantitative data has yet been published on the effects of human–shark
interactions on beach usage. The reduction in beach usage was reaffirmed
through comments provided through the consultation process of the PER.
(3) Eventscorp is
a division of Tourism Western Australia, which is the state government agency
responsible for promoting Western Australia as an attractive holiday, event,
convention and incentive travel destination, nationally and overseas.
Eventscorp has strong links to the tourism industry.
of this question.
(1) Section
2.4.1, on page 12 of the public environment review, refers to a four-year
community engagement strategy to explore the use of community-based programs to
contribute to public safety along the Western Australian coast. This includes
the study the member refers to in her question. After the May 2013 survey,
another shark fatality occurred in Gracetown in November 2013. This was the
seventh fatal shark attack in three years. Following this, the government
decided to complement the existing shark hazard mitigation strategies with the
deployment of a limited number of drum lines over a limited time on the
metropolitan and south west coasts. The implementation of this drum line
program drew upon a wide range of shark control programs that operate
nationally and internationally.
(2) No
quantitative data has yet been published on the effects of human–shark
interactions on beach usage. The reduction in beach usage was reaffirmed
through comments provided through the consultation process of the PER.
(3) Eventscorp is
a division of Tourism Western Australia, which is the state government agency
responsible for promoting Western Australia as an attractive holiday, event,
convention and incentive travel destination, nationally and overseas.
Eventscorp has strong links to the tourism industry.
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