The Palaszczuk Labor Government has ignored the advice of a committee stacked with its own MPs and rammed through second-rate fisheries laws.
Liberal National Party Shadow Minister for Fisheries Tony Perrett said the Parliamentary Committee had made many sensible recommendations that would have brought the Fisheries (Sustainable Fisheries) Amendment Bill 2018 into line with community and industry expectations.
“Queensland’s commercial fishing industry not only bolsters the state economy but is a vital primary industry for towns up and down the coast,” Mr Perrett said.
“Labor’s new laws make it abundantly clear that they don’t care about the intellectual property rights of our commercial fishers or their future viability.
“The committee recommended that the new laws bolster penalties associated with the misuse of Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) data by public servants, the creation of a statutory review of the VMS rollout after 18 months, and the redefining of ‘commercial quantity’ to properly reflect the reality of current black-market activity.
“The LNP also argued against Labor’s bureaucratic power grab that will allow inspectors to search and enter property without notice or a warrant. This is an affront to fishers’ property rights.
“Labor Fisheries Minister Mark Furner arrogantly refused to include the recommendations of the committee, which included three of his Labor colleagues, and rammed the Bill through.
“The Palaszczuk Labor Government also guillotined debate on the Bill, which meant not all of the LNP’s amendments were able to be debated.
“I want commercial fishers to know that the LNP tried to make this bad situation somewhat easier to swallow, but this arrogant government would not budge an inch.
“The LNP stands shoulder to shoulder with Queensland’s commercial fishers and will continue to hold this failing Labor Government to account.
“Only an LNP Government will restore balance to Queensland fisheries and put an end to Labor’s attacks.”
