Labor’s Fisheries Minister Bill Byrne needs to urgently revamp the Palaszczuk government’s Sustainable Fisheries Advisory Panel with the chair of the panel currently before the court on fraud charges.
LNP Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Dale Last said with Professor Suzanne Miller facing charges, it was time for Minister Byrne to revamp the advisory panel.
“Even before the fraud charges were brought against the Chief Scientist, the panel was regarded as a joke and a slap in the face to the state’s commercial and recreational fishing sectors,” Mr Last said.
“The Government needs to include at least one representative from the commercial fishing sector and one from the recreational fishing sector, on the advisory panel.
“The panel is full of academics and includes a social scientist with expertise in well-being – but no-one with any hands-on, investment experience in an industry.”
Mr Last said Minister Byrne needed to quickly appoint a new chair to the panel – someone with experience and above all, integrity.
“If the sustainable fishing expert advisory panel is to work, it needs to have a decent chair and genuine representation from the commercial and recreational sectors,” Mr Last said.
Mr Last said the government’s pick for a panel chair was now before the courts and it was about time Minister Byrne removed reference to Professor Miller from his Department’s website.*
*Professor Miller is still on the DAF website as Chair of the Panel
