Paul Neville (Hinkler, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Recreational fishing is part and parcel of the Australian way of life. It is part of the Australian lifestyle and something that is enjoyed by all generations. On top of that, it is a great family activity. Recreational fishing creates tourism and employment. With more than 3.6 million people fishing throughout Australia each year and more than 24 per cent of Australian households containing at least one recreational angler, it is a very important issue.

My electorate of Hinkler and areas to its immediate south, including Hervey Bay and surrounding areas, are home to some of the most popular recreational fishing spots in Australia. I have my fair share of contact with recreational fishermen and have recently started working with a number of fishing organisations around the Hervey Bay area. Few people realise that there are more than 5,200 boats of eight metres or less registered in the Hervey Bay region and upwards of a quarter of a million people visit the region each year, coming for the fishing, which is quite interesting. It is very important that these people have suitable and safe facilities for their use. Just recently I have seen local reports of ‘boat ramp rage’ occurring where fishermen have had to queue and wait their turn to use small and out-of-date boat ramps to launch their vessels. I have pledged to try to turn this around. It is exacerbated sometimes by the cycles of wind and tide which cause the boats to rise and fall on their cradles as they are being taken out of the water.

One group which is working hard to get a boat ramp in good order is the coastal community of Burrum Heads, through the Burrum River Taskforce, chaired by the state member for Maryborough, Chris Foley. I recently attended one of their meetings to discuss the way forward in establishing a boat ramp for the use of recreational fishers in the area. People central to the project include Martin Bellert of the Sunfish Fraser Coast organisation, Bill Cardiff of the Burrum Heads boat ramp subcommittee, Alan Nicholls of the Burrum Heads Progress Association, representatives of the Hervey Bay City Council, including the mayor, Ted Sorenson, Councillor David Dalgleish, Councillor Bob Campbell and council coastal management officer Jamie Bunt. Others involved are Joe Rieschieck of Queensland Transport, Ross Quinn of the DPI and Trevor Carter of the EPA.

Programs like the federal government’s $15 million Recreational Fishing Community Grants Program are crucial to groups such as these. The radical rezoning of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and the reduction in areas where commercial and recreational fishing can take place have made this program even more crucial for areas like this. The OzEstuaries organisation has calculated that fishers spend around $1,000 each year on their fishing activities, including such items as tackle, boats, travel, accommodation et cetera. If we apply that figure to the number of small craft in the Hervey Bay region, a conservative estimate would show that more than $5 million each year flows from the pockets of recreational fishers into the local economy.

In recent weeks I have announced two recreational fishing grants for my electorate of Hinkler and another in the neighbouring city of Hervey Bay. The first recipient, the Monduran Anglers and Stocking Association of Gin Gin, will use its funding to install a holding cage and rainwater tanks. The second recipient, the Bundaberg City Council, will use its grant to upgrade the jetty in the CBD. The third project, which will come into the new area of Hinkler, involves $100,000 to build a new boat ramp at Gatakers Landing at Hervey Bay. The current boat ramp is old, unsafe and basically inaccessible to many users. Its replacement with a two-lane, all-weather, all-tide ramp with 45 sealed car and trailer parks will be a great boon for this area. It will also feature a rigging and derigging area, overhead lighting, queuing beach facilities and fish-cleaning facilities. The beauty of these projects is that they will create new opportunities for local economies. Recreational fishing is a drawcard for many visitors and if they have a better facility they are more likely to visit areas like this. (Time expired)