Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

The coalition began establishing marine protected areas in Australia's territorial waters when it was last in government. The coalition remains committed to the responsible development of marine protected areas to protect iconic marine environmental assets. But we do hold deep reservations about how federal Labor has managed the continuation of the policy since it has been in government. The recreational and commercial fishing sectors, as well as the businesses and communities reliant upon them, have raised serious and justified concerns about a lack of consultation and, dare I say, green bias from Labor. Labor's marine protected areas process is secretive and skewed towards satisfying extreme green groups.

The coalition will put on hold the marine protected areas process until it really properly delivers a bigger, better, fairer say for recreational and commercial fishers, and associated industries and communities, in all stages of the process. The coalition suggests that new bioregional advisory panels be appointed for each marine bioregion to provide the vehicle for this expanded industry and community consultation. In line with pre-existing coalition policy and practice, we believe that we need to genuinely seek to minimise socioeconomic impacts of marine protected areas. All marine protected area proposals should be accompanied by a comprehensive, publicly available, socioeconomic impact statement.

Peer reviewed science used in the development of MPAs and any associated no-take zones must be made publicly available in a timely way and be considered by all the necessary agencies and panels. Where consultation and negotiation cannot reduce impacts of proposed MPAs below levels that are reasonably compensable, then compensation, structural adjustment or other appropriate measures need to be delivered before any constraints are implemented. The displaced effort policy needs to be reviewed by a ministerial panel jointly chaired by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities.

After the announcement of its oceans policy and the establishment of the regional marine planning process, the Howard government started developing a visionary oceans protection legacy. The highlight of this, as was stated in the Main Committee just this morning, was the rezoning of the Great Barrier Reef, endorsed worldwide. But the legacy of other significant marine reserves has also been a major plus for this country and, indeed, the global environment. What must also be noted is the relentless campaigns of successive Howard government environment ministers to see the end of commercial whaling. This was born out of the Fraser government's ending of commercial whaling in Australian waters. The last whaling station to close, as has been stated, did so way back in 1978. With the rezoning of the Great Barrier Reef, the Howard government led the world in oceans protection and encouraged other international leaders to protect the oceans.

The coalition will seek to hold the Gillard government to account over marine planning by ensuring the declaration of marine parks is subject to parliamentary scrutiny. Currently, the environment minister can declare marine reserves, with potentially major ramifications for all users of the ocean across this vast area, at the mere stroke of a pen. It is outrageous that a single minister can make far-reaching decisions over waters extending to the edge of Australia's exclusive economic zone, or EEZ, without the necessary checks and balances. The Gillard government is continuing a process for the development of marine reserves in the EEZ which began under the coalition. The government's consultation process has been minimalistic, especially under the former environment minister, Mr Garrett, who demonstrably favoured green organisations over all other affected interest groups. Green groups, and conservationists generally, deserve a say in the process but so too do the tens of thousands of people who have a deep stake in the ocean environment for their livelihood and their leisure activities. The reserves will contain potentially large areas where many activities will be totally banned. The best available science and consultation with all stakeholders, including fishers, needs to be used in any marine park decisions.

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