Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment and Heritage) Share this | Hansard source

In rising to sum up on behalf of the government the Fisheries Legislation Amendment (Foreign Fishing Offences) Bill 2006 I want to set out three principles that govern the Howard government’s activities in relation to foreign fishing. First, we set out to destroy the practice of foreign fishing in Australia’s northern waters, and we do that with an absolute ferocity of intent. Second, we do that through a clear commitment to destroy the boats and to destroy the livelihoods of those criminals who have no concern for Australia’s territorial boundaries or our marine resources. Third, this bill as a part of that is about jailing offenders. Not only is it about jailing the ringleaders, the ship’s captain or the organisers who are apprehended but also it carries the potential for penalising the full complement of the ship’s crew, those who would seek to violate our territorial integrity, who would pillage our marine resources and who would put at risk our quarantine protections and our natural resources.

We make no apologies for putting in place one of the toughest, if not the toughest, marine resource protection regimes in the world—the destruction of boats, the destruction of property, and jail not just for the ringleaders but also for the full complement of a ship’s crew. This is a powerful regime designed to destroy in toto illegal fishing practices, whether they come from Indonesia or other parts of the Asia-Pacific region, and it does that backed by a $390 million package. It is not legislation that is unsupported. It is legislation with the full resources of the Commonwealth of Australia, the Australian government, designed precisely to eradicate the practice of illegal fishing in Australia’s northern waters. It is wrong, it is unacceptable and we will not tolerate it.

In addressing the statements made by various members of the House, and I appreciate all of those statements, I particularly want to run through three items: firstly, the problem; secondly, the overall package and the solution we take; and, thirdly, the particular elements of the Fisheries Legislation Amendment (Foreign Fishing Offences) Bill 2006 and how they will increase jail penalties for illegal fishermen—whether they be organisers, ringleaders or ship captains—with the potential for doing so with the crew so that there is a clear and present threat and practice which can be used against anybody involved in illegal fishing.

The problem is well known. Firstly, there is the pillaging of Australia’s fishing resources, which has been brought to the attention of this House by the member for Solomon, the member for O’Connor, the member for Kalgoorlie, the member for Leichhardt and other members of the government over the past few months. They have been unrelenting as representatives of the northern regions in making the case that there is an issue here.

We can see that there is a threat to our fishing resources. There is also a clear and present danger in our quarantine protection of Australia. Whether that danger be due to transportable diseases in the fishing industry, the pearling industry or ancillary marine and maritime industries, it is unacceptable. We take absolute responsibility for the quarantine task on our watch and we are dealing with it.

I pay tribute to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Peter McGauran, and in particular to the Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation, Senator Abetz, who in the few short months since his appointment has traversed the country not once but twice to win the support of the states and territories and to win from the Prime Minister and Treasurer an unprecedented budgetary package. I also thank the Treasurer, Peter Costello, and the Minister for Defence, Brendan Nelson, both of whom have been unstinting in their support of this issue.

So what are the core elements of this package designed to eradicate once and for all the problem of illegal fishing in the north? There is a sea ranger program which draws from the Indigenous residents on the coast of Northern Australia. There is almost $7 million to assist these communities to assist the rest of Australia. It is good policy and a good marine protection measure. It is also great community development. The second element is the destruction of boats—and we will go to extraordinary measures here. If you are willing to encroach upon our waters, whether it be inside the 12 nautical mile zone or in the 12 to 200 nautical miles of our exclusive economic zone, we will catch and destroy your boat—your most valuable capital asset. That is a powerful disincentive and an appropriate punishment for the crimes carried out by these people who pillage our fishing resources. That is a critical step forward.

All up, there is $390 million in funding. There is $11.7 million for joint offshore protection. There is $7.9 million for joint operations with Indonesia. The member for Chifley asked what we are doing with Indonesia. We are allocating $8 million to prevent and deter illegal fishing onshore as well as to carry out joint operations. There is $33.8 million to deal with the quarantine risks from illegal fishing. That includes $16 million for vessel disposal facilities in Broome, Darwin, Gove and the Torres Strait where these vessels will be destroyed. There is $1½ million for increasing officer training for Customs. Most significantly, there is $233 million for increasing the apprehension of illegal fishing vessels, whether it be between three and 12 nautical miles from our coast or between 12 and 200 nautical miles. That is at the heart of what we are doing. There is funding to deal with foreign fishing vessels on the Great Barrier Reef, particularly in response to the issues raised by the member for Kennedy, and $34 million to conduct aerial surveillance. All of this is backed up by another significant layer of funding across a range of activities.

As I said at the outset, the fundamental purpose of this bill is to increase to two to three years the custodial sentences for those who violate our waters. We are talking about jail for fishing captains, jail for ringleaders and jail for the organisers of illegal fishing in Australian waters. We make no apology whatsoever for taking a measure which is fundamentally about border protection and protecting our marine resources. This measure is uncompromising in terms of jail sentences and it is backed by fines and the destruction of significant capital assets. That is what this bill is about.

I accept and appreciate the views of all who have spoken, including members of the opposition, the member for O’Connor on the government side of the House and the member for Kennedy in his own world as an Independent. I thank all who have made a contribution. This is a strong package and it comes with bipartisan support. I thank the Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation, Senator Abetz, and all the other ministers who have supported the package. I thank the members for Solomon, O’Connor, Kalgoorlie and Leichhardt, who have fought for this package.

There is funding of $390 million, legislation to jail offenders and a policy which is absolutely clear. We will destroy the practice of illegal fishing and we will not stop until we have achieved that aim. We will do that through the destruction of significant capital assets—the boats—and associated fines for those who breach our territorial boundaries. Through this legislation we will jail not just the ringleaders and the skippers but also the crew. We will be uncompromising in pursuing these goals. This is good legislation. It protects our borders and it protects our marine resources. I commend the bill to the House.

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