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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 956 asked in the Legislative Council on 6 December 2017 by Hon Diane Evers

Parliament: 40 Session: 1


SHARK SHIELD — REBATE
      956. Hon DIANE EVERS to the minister representing the Minister for Fisheries:
I refer to the minister's press release of 26 November.
(1) How many people have applied for the rebate for a Shark Shield Freedom7?
      (2) Does the minister acknowledge that the Freedom7 is designed and marketed by its manufacturer for use in diving and kayaking, not surfing, as the minister's press release states, and that Shark Shield make a different device for use when surfing?
      (3) If no to (2), why not; and, if yes, will the minister amend his claims about the Freedom7 being used when surfing?
      (4) Is it possible that by early 2018, when verification trials of Shark Shield's Freedom+ Surf and Surfsafe's Rpela are completed, the additional $200 000 will already have been completely allocated to people claiming the rebate for a Freedom7?
      (5) Does the minister agree that if Shark Shield's Freedom+ Surf and/or Surfsafe's Rpela are verified as effective at deterring great white sharks, the $200 rebate should be immediately extended to cover those devices, even if doing so requires allocating a further $200 000 to the rebate scheme on top of the total $400 000 announced since May; and, if not, why not?
Hon ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:
I thank the member for the question. The answer has been provided to me by the Minister for Fisheries.
(1) To date, 1 073 people have applied for a Shark Shield Freedom7 rebate.
      (2)–(3) The minister's media release states that the Freedom7 can be used by both surfers and divers, which is correct.
(4) How long the rebate remains available is dependent on demand.
      (5) When Labor announced the rebate policy, we made it clear that we have encouraged the makers of other devices to get them tested. If these devices prove effective, they will become eligible for the rebate.