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Parliamentary Questions


Question On Notice No. 2043 asked in the Legislative Council on 2 April 2019 by Hon Robin Chapple

Question Directed to the: Minister for Regional Development representing the Minister for Water
Parliament: 40 Session: 1
Tabled Paper No: 2735- View tabled paper


Question

(1) Is the Minister aware of recent mass Sawfish deaths at Liveringa Pastoral Lease?
(2) If yes to (1), when did the Minister become aware of this?
(3) How many Sawfish died?
(4) Were any Sawfish saved?
(5) At which coordinates did the Sawfish die?
(6) Will the Minister table a map of the location in which the Sawfish died?
(7) Was the site downstream of any dams, weirs or any type of obstruction that impeded water flow?
(8) If yes to (7), what was the obstruction?
(9) Has any water been extracted from the same freshwater system as the one the Sawfish died in?
(10) If yes to (9), how much water has been abstracted, why was it abstracted and by whom?
(11) On what date were the Sawfish found?
(12) When and by whom was the incident reported to the department and the Minister?
(13) Will the Minister table any reports and/or other forms of written communication on the mass deaths of Sawfish?
(14) If no to (13), why not?
(15) Has the department and the Minister received photos of the mass Sawfish deaths?
(16) If yes to (15), will the Minister table the photos?
(17) If no to (16), why not?
(18) Is the Minister aware that the Sawfish are critically endangered internationally?
(19) Is the Minister aware that the Fitzroy River is one of the last major strongholds of the species?
(20) Is the Minister aware that the Freshwater Sawfish is listed as a threatened species under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999?
(21) Has the mass deaths of Sawfish been reported to the Commonwealth Government?
(22) If no to (21), why not?
(23) Has the Ministerial Council on the Fitzroy River been briefed on the mass Sawfish deaths?
(24) If no to (23), why not?
(25) If yes to (23), will the Minister table the briefing papers?
(26) If no to (25), why not?

Answered on 4 June 2019

(1) Yes
(2) 21 December 2018
(3) It was estimated that between 40 and 50 sawfish died.
(4) Yes.  Two freshwater sawfish were saved and relocated to a larger pool.
(5) There were two pools at which dead sawfish were recorded, referred to as main pool (17 58.60 Northing 124 18.15 Easting) and second pool (17 58.88 Northing 124 17.54 Easting).
(6) Yes, see Attachment 1 [see tabled paper no. ]
(7) No
(8) Not applicable
(9) No. The pools in which the fish perished are on the Blina Creek floodplain, disconnected to Blina Creek itself as water recedes from the floodplain.  Blina Creek is a tributary to Uralla Creek, which is a tributary to the Fitzroy River.  
(10) Not applicable
(11) On or about 10 December 2018.
(12) The incident was reported to the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development by a staff member from Liveringa Station on 10 December 2018.  The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development provided details of the incident to the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation on 18 December 2018. The Minister for Water was notified on the 21 December 2018.
(13) Yes.  Commissioned by Liveringa Station, Murdoch University’s Fish Health Unit undertook a relocation response to the incident and documented the incident.  This report was provided to the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation by Liveringa Station see Attachment 2 [see tabled paper no. ]
(14) Not applicable
(15) Yes
(16) Yes, they are in the report that I am tabling. See Attachment 2 [See tabled paper no. ]
(17) Not applicable
(18) Yes
(19) Yes
(20) Yes
(21) The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation did not report this incident to the Commonwealth Government.
(22) The Department’s assessment of the event showed no relationship between the event and the taking of water.
(23) Yes
(24) Not applicable
(25) No
(26) The Ministerial Council received a verbal briefing only – no papers were tabled.