RECREATIONAL FISHING
LICENCES
172. Hon RICK MAZZA to the minister representing the
Minister for Fisheries:
I refer to the recent payments of a recreational
fishing licence by a constituent. Their licence renewal was due in January 2020 and was paid a month early in
December 2019. The licence expiry date was changed to the constituent's
date of payment, denying them a month from the original 12-month licence they
paid for.
(1) When licence
holders promptly pay any class of recreational fishing licence before the due
date, why is the licence renewed from the date of payment rather than the
original expiry date?
(2) Does this
mean that licence holders who pay early are overpaying for the term of the
licence they receive?
Hon
ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:
I thank the member for the question.
The following information has been provided by the Minister for Fisheries.
(1) In January
2019, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
transitioned to a new recreational fishing licence system. The transition
required all customers to apply for a new licence. The taking out of a new
licence was a one-off requirement for the new system. Customers were advised in
writing of this requirement and that they should renew their licence as close
as possible to the expiry date of their old licence. Once a customer has taken
out a licence in the new system, future renewals will fall on the anniversary
date of the new licence and will be processed as such.
(2) No.
Recreational fishing licences renewed after 13 January 2020 will use the
renewal date, not the date of payment.