Bob Katter (Kennedy, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister for the Environment and Energy, crocodiles are now killing North Queenslanders at almost one a year. There are sightings at our tourism beaches and attacks on dogs almost weekly. Humans of unbalanced natures are introducing toads and protecting crocodiles. Gropers ate the baby crocodiles and the gropers are gone. Goannas and pythons ate the eggs and they are both gone. The biggest predators are my First Australian brothers—gone. They were told by white fellas far, far away that after 40,000 years they can't hunt crocs or harvest eggs. Would the minister agree that Premier Palaszczuk ain't gonna become no Cleopatra no matter how many human sacrifices she makes to the crocodile river gods?

Josh Frydenberg (Kooyong, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Premier may not be the member for Kennedy's Cleopatra but I am sure I am safe in saying that you're not her Mark Antony! I can assure the member for Kennedy that we stand side by side with him in putting people before crocodiles, just like we stand side by side with the people of Western Australia in putting people before sharks. I know that on our side of the House, we have the original crocodile hunter in the member of Leichhardt. I understand that he's turned a nice pair of crocodile skins into a nice pair of boots for two previous US Presidents: President Clinton and President Bush.

On a more serious note, we have expressed concern about the rise in crocodile-related fatalities. There have been ten deaths in the last six years including in places like Cape Tribulation, and, clearly, we have seen an increase in the number of crocodiles particularly in areas that are human inhabited. I know in the member's own electorate that in Mareeba crocodiles have come into the area and should never have been allowed in that area.

Under federal legislation, under the EPBC Act, crocodiles are listed as a migratory species, but, as the honourable member knows, it is under state legislation in Queensland where crocodiles are listed as a vulnerable species. We call upon the Palaszczuk government to take stronger action to put people first. I know that the LNP in Queensland released their policy earlier this year—which we support—about removing crocodiles from marinas and other areas where there are a lot of boats or where people are swimming. We support those measures. The Commonwealth stands side by side with the member for Kennedy and with the member for Leichhardt in ensuring that the Queensland Labor government does more to put people before crocodiles.