Rick Wilson (O'Connor, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to give a shout-out to some proactive community members in Esperance who aim to prevent further shark attacks along the Southern Ocean coastline of my electorate of O'Connor. Since my election in 2013, there have been four shark attacks. Albany teenager Jay Muscat was killed at Cheynes Beach in December 2014; abalone driver Greg Pickering and surfer Sean Pollard were seriously injured in attacks along the Esperance coastline. Most recently, Mandurah teenager Laeticia Brouwer was killed while surfing at Kelp Beds at Esperance last Easter. I know that the member for Canning has spoken with her family and comforted the family in their loss.

Today, I commend local schoolteacher and surfer Mitch Capelli who has formed the Esperance Ocean Safety and Support Group. A few weeks ago, Mitch and I co-hosted a forum considering the policy issues of shark control and mitigation strategies. Our panel of local experts including veterinarian, scuba diver and international yachtsman, Dr David Swan; international film maker, David Riggs; local abalone driver and contract researcher Marc Payne; and president of the Esperance Professional Fishermen's Association, Neville Mansted. Together with a very engaged audience, the group made a firm commitment to enhancing local safety measures, such as aerial drone patrols, signage, warning systems on Esperance beaches and social media alerts. Meanwhile, I'll work with the Minister for the Environment and Energy, Josh Frydenberg, to verify anecdotal evidence of increasing numbers of white sharks in WA. I'll urge a review of the EPBC Act protection status if the numbers are, in fact, escalating. In the interim, the minister has given the WA government the authority to enact immediate control measures to mitigate any further injuries or fatalities. (Time expired)