WESTERN ROCK LOBSTER
FISHERY
43. Hon PETER COLLIER to the minister representing the
Minister for Fisheries:
I
refer to the McGowan Labor government's original decision in relation
to the western rock lobster fishery package.
(1) Did the minister take the
package to cabinet; and, if yes, on what date; and, if not, why not?
(2) Will the
minister confirm that he will not seek to nationalise any part of the western
rock lobster fishery or any other fishery into the future?
(3) In the
meeting with the Premier and the western rock lobster industry, did the
government commit to providing rock lobster fishers with property rights?
(4) If yes to (3), was this a commitment
in writing?
(5) If yes to (4), will he table
that correspondence; and, if not, why not?
Hon
ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:
I thank the member for the question.
The following information has been provided to me by the Minister for
Fisheries.
(1) Cabinet discussions are
confidential.
(2) The agreement
reached with the Western Rock Lobster Council in December 2018 did not
constitute nationalisation of the western rock lobster industry. Fish stocks
have always been and will always remain the property of the community. I have
confirmed to the Western Australian Fishing Industry Council that the proposed
changes to the western rock lobster industry were specific to that fishery and
set no precedent for any other fishery in the state.
(3)–(5) It
was agreed that an independently chaired working group of industry and
government representatives will be convened to examine further opportunities to
grow the industry. This includes Indigenous participation, growing the
industry, providing a better economic return to the state, improving security
of access rights and increasing community donations.