19 July 2010

Labor Ministers pull the pin on recreational fishing roundtable

Federal Labor Ministers have today let down the recreational fishing sector by cancelling their attendance at a promised Ministerial Roundtable on the issues facing the sector.

Representatives of recreational fishing organisations around Australia travelled to Canberra to attend today's Ministerial meeting, but Fisheries Minister Tony Burke and Environment Minister Peter Garrett both pulled the pin at the very last moment (original agenda below).

"The actions by these Federal Labor Ministers are a complete disgrace," said Federal Coalition spokesperson for fisheries Senator Richard Colbeck.

"On June 22 Minister Burke personally promised the roundtable to recreational fishermen following their frustration with the bureaucracy and Government decision making. Today that promise has been blatantly broken.

"Today's no show by Labor at the roundtable they promised is symbolic of their attitude to recreational fishing. They don't understand and they don't care.

"This was the first promised meeting of the roundtable. Both Ministers live in Sydney, less than an hour away from Canberra. There was no legitimate excuse not to front even with the election campaign underway. In fact, that makes it more important.

"The Labor Ministers' no-show demonstrates they don't understand recreational fishing involves more than 3.5 million Australians every year

"And they don't understand recreational fishing is worth thousands of jobs and billions of dollars to local economies."

Over the past two and half years, Labor has:

·       Cut all funding to the national peak body Recfish (originally funded by the Coalition Government);

·       Threatened massive new no-take marine parks around coastal Australia;

·       Banned the fishing of mako and porbeagle sharks and then back-flipped following a national grassroots political campaign by fishers; and then banned the fishing of thresher sharks; and

·       Allowed fringe environmental groups to unilaterally influence marine policy.

"Unlike Labor, the recreational fishing sector and its many millions of participants can be assured they will be listened to by a Coalition Government," Senator Colbeck said.

"The Coalition will give recreational fishing the respect and recognition it fully deserves as a contributor to the environment, to healthy and enjoyable lifestyles and to the nation's economy."

Patrick Clancy

Office of Senator Richard Colbeck

Senator for Tasmania | Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry

Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Industry, Innovation, Science & Research

Devonport - Tasmania ( 03 6424 5960 | ( (m) +61 402 641 170 | 6 03 6423 5244 |

When you vote this election just think what labor has done to banning fishing in this country!!