Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party, Shadow Minister for Regional Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) acknowledges that Australia has a world-class and sustainable commercial fishing industry which contributes to national food security and delivers significant employment and economic benefits, particularly in regional areas;

(2) notes that:

(a) commercial fishing in Commonwealth waters is already highly regulated to ensure sustainable resource management;

(b) the world-wide demand for seafood is increasing; and

(c) reducing the Australian wild-catch will result in the consumption of more imported seafood products; and

(3) urges the Government to:

(a) recognise the:

(i) long-term sustainability of the commercial fishing industry is an issue of national importance because of the social, economic, environmental and cultural benefits of the industry; and

(ii) pressures placed on the commercial fishing industry by environmental activism and plans to lock up more productive fishing grounds in marine parks or other activities including offshore wind farms; and

(b) undertake to consult and work constructively with the commercial fishing industry to ensure its interests are fully respected and recognised in any proposals to increase exclusion zones which undermine the viability of operators.

I'm a proud supporter of the commercial fishing industry right across Australia but particularly in my electorate of Gippsland. We have a world-class environmental and sustainable fishery based in my electorate of Gippsland. I'll concentrate my comments today on Lakes Entrance, but this does have broader implications when it comes to considering national food security and our trade imbalance when it comes to seafood products.

It should be bleedingly obvious in the terms of the motion before the House today, and you would assume that everyone in Australia would understand, how important commercial fishing is on a social, economic, environmental and cultural basis. But what I'm finding more and more is that there is a disconnect between our rural and regional communities and our metropolitan communities when it comes to understanding the work we do in rural and regional Australia to provide the food and fibre for this nation.

The motion deliberately refers to social impacts, economic impacts, environmental impacts and cultural impacts of the commercial fixing sector, because I think it's important to note that white fellas have culture as well. We quite rightly respect and recognise the thousands of years of Indigenous culture in this country—and we're getting better at doing that every day in my electorate—but white fellas have culture too. When it comes to the commercial fishing industry, there are multiple generations of more recent arrivals in my electorate, the European settlers to the region, who have been involved in the commercial fishing sector. They've passed on their skills, knowledge and culture to extended members of their own families. That generational culture is at risk of being taken away because of the way we approach the commercial fishing industry in this country.

We are under pressure in the commercial fishing sector in Lakes Entrance from: bureaucracy; an incredible amount of red tape; changing environmental laws, which change almost on an annual basis for our fishermen; the oil and gas fields, which have taken away some of the fishing grounds; and, more recently, offshore wind proposals. I wrote to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy in a joint letter with my state member in relation to the potential impact of the proposed wind farms on the commercial fishing zones. The special squeeze on the fishing grounds is undermining the viability of our commercial fishing sector, and it's something the minister must take into account when he weighs up how to apply the offshore wind zones and how they will interact with the commercial fishing sector and their generational importance to my community.

I'm concerned that not enough people in this building understand that there are two choices when it comes to something like the commercial fishing industry—when it comes to seafood. You either grow and use your own seafood in a sustainable way or you use someone else's. In many cases in Australia, when you're using someone else's, it's being imported from countries with less sustainable environmental practices, and, in my community, we feel that we are under siege. We feel that our lifestyles and our livelihoods are under siege because of decisions being made in Melbourne and in Canberra, which directly impact some of the lifestyles and economic generators in our region.

I could change the words from 'commercial fishing' in this motion to, say, 'native timber' or 'intensive agriculture', and the motion would read almost exactly the same, because those industries are also under threat from decision-makers who simply don't understand how these industries work in our community. You either use your own in an environmentally sustainable way or use someone else's. Quite often those other countries have lower environmental protocols than what we have ourselves.

There is—and I talked about this briefly in my opening comments—a huge divide and a disconnect in this country right now between people who grow our food and fibre and those who consume most of it in our metropolitan areas. We have to get better at sharing information and building the social licence for these critically important industries to continue to exist. The commercial fishing industry is just one of those industries that is under siege, under threat, in my electorate of Gippsland. Quite simply—and I say this with no disrespect to people in metropolitan areas—we've had a complete gutful of being told what jobs we can and can't have in regional areas from people who live in cities and have no intention of ever living in our communities. We have had a complete gutful of being told what jobs we can and can't have by people who don't even want to live with us.

When it comes to the commercial fishing industry, the purpose of the motion today is to raise awareness of our commercial fishing industry, to raise awareness of the social, economic, environmental and cultural importance of that industry and to urge the decision-makers and the minister to show some respect to the families involved in those industries when they're making their decisions. Their decisions affect people on the ground and at sea in rural and regional Australia.

Bridget Archer (Bass, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is there a seconder for the motion?

Andrew Willcox (Dawson, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I second the motion and reserve my right to speak.

Josh Wilson (Fremantle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm glad to speak to the motion about the importance of Australia's fisheries. I thank the member for Gippsland for bringing it forward. I represent a proud fishing community, a proud metro fishing community. A few weeks ago, I marched as part of the Blessing of the Fleet procession through Fremantle. It's one of the most important occasions on our annual calendar, an expression of our character and history. Of course, it's purpose is to pray for a safe and bountiful fishing season. There are two annual marches in Fremantle each year: the May Day march and the Blessing of the Fleet. Both have at their core the wellbeing of working people. The fact that the streets of Freo are consistently filled with community support on these occasions is testament to the deep commitment we have not only to the health and safety of all workers but especially to those who undertake inherently dangerous occupations, which is the case right across our maritime workforce.

In my community and throughout Western Australia, there's a strong value placed on our fishing industry not only for its economic value and diversity but also because it represents a form of maritime activity that has sustainability as one of its essential conditions. Like farmers, fishers know that, if you don't exist in harmony with the natural environment, there is no stability and no future beyond the medium term. In 2000, the West Coast Rock Lobster Fishery was the first in the world to be certified by the Marine Stewardship Council, and in 2022 it was recertified for a record fifth time. It is Australia's most valuable single-species wild catch fishery, involving more than 200 vessels and employing nearly 2,000 people. In 2019, the WA octopus and sea cucumber fisheries received MSC certification, and, now with 10 certified fisheries, Western Australia leads the nation when it comes to sustainable seafood industries. We should acknowledge and celebrate these important achievements.

The sustainability of fisheries is first and foremost a matter of environmental stewardship. It is our obligation to protect environmental conditions and biodiversity. Those things should be protected for their intrinsic importance, separate from our interest in them. But, of course, sustainability is critical to our wellbeing too because environmental degradation and overfishing will inevitably mean the end of fishing. On that front, the coalition should have the courage to undertake some self-reflection. They have consistently opposed measures like Labor's world-leading national network of marine protected areas. They have consistently worked to cut back and weaken those protections, just as they have turned a blind eye to the serious harm caused by the industrial-scale marine brutality of super trawlers.

The week before last, I was fortunate to visit the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in California. One of the result of their scientific work, matching the evidence we've collected here in Australia, is that marine sanctuaries help protect biodiversity and they result in healthier and more productive fisheries. We acted on that science in government, just as we are delivering a new Futures of Seafood project to ensure that fisheries and aquaculture in Australia can plan to thrive in the future.

The Albanese Labor government have already taken a number of key actions to protect the health of Australia's sustainable fisheries. For example, the Minister for the Environment and Water has tripled the size of the Macquarie Island Marine Park. We have increased funding for the Australian Institute of Marine Science. We have made sure that Australia is active in supporting international efforts like the 30 by 30 initiative that will ensure 30 per cent of the world's oceans are protected by 2030 while, at the same time, we seek to advance a treaty to protect the high seas and show leadership through Australia's membership to the High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution addressing the scourge of ocean plastic. What's more, we have a process in train to look at how Australia can address illegal, unreported and unregulated fisheries which endanger workers and damage global fish stocks and biodiversity.

As the member for Gippsland intimated, about 65 per cent of the seafood consumed in Australia is imported, and yet we have a seriously ineffective and opaque framework when it comes to preventing the importation of products from IUU fisheries in our region. While both the US and the EU have IUU protections, I was glad, in my former role in opposition, to include consideration of an IUU framework as part of Labor's policy commitment prior to the 2022 election. Now, that work is underway to figure out how we can apply a system that ensures Australian households can be confident that the seafood we consume comes from properly managed, sustainable and safe fisheries. This, of course, also means that Australian sourced seafood is not competing against product that is cheaper simply as a result of being dependent on environmentally harmful and unfair practices, including practices that constitute modern slavery.

If we care about fisheries and marine biodiversity, we need to keep supporting healthy, sustainable and high-quality industry in Australia while sharing the globally cooperative work to see more of our oceans protected and to identify and eliminate careless, destructive and cruel fishing practices elsewhere. That is precisely what the Albanese Labor government is doing. That has been our focus since we were first elected. That will continue to be our work in support of Australia's sustainable fisheries.

Andrew Willcox (Dawson, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Gippsland for moving this important motion to the House. This motion is in response to the disastrous decisions that the Albanese Labor government keeps making about the Australian commercial fishing industry, decisions that are causing catastrophic damage for our fishers and for our communities. The Australian commercial fishing industry is world-class and that's a fact. It is sustainable. It's backed by science. It contributes to our national food security and delivers crucial economic and employment benefits, particularly in regions such as my electorate of Dawson.

I've stood before in this very room talking about the dire consequences of the Labor government's irrational decisions, and I'm back here again today because voices are just not getting heard. The voices of so many in North Queensland are just not getting heard. The commercial fishing industry in Australia is highly regulated to ensure sustainable resource management. The industry has more regulations imposed than most. Fishermen and women have to check in every night. They have to have their logbooks up to date and are constantly checked. They are constantly monitored via government GPS tracking systems and operate under a quota system. And still—still!—the Albanese Labor government and the Minister for the Environment and Water want to make it even worse for our hard-working Aussies.

Earlier this year, the Minister for the Environment and Water announced a ban on commercial gillnet fishing in North Queensland, an announcement that was made with no scientific reasoning, without consultation and not even discussed with the individuals and families that will be impacted. We invited the minister to come up to my electorate and face the people who will be impacted, and what do we hear? Crickets. I wrote to the minister asking for details around compensation packages for our local fishers and, again, crickets. So we called for a Senate inquiry into the decision to give our local fishermen and women their chance to be heard, which should be their right, and, again, this was shot down instantly by the Labor-Greens coalition. Our local fishers have been left in the dark.

So far there have been no announcements of when or how the buybacks for their licences are going to happen, leaving them with no information and no idea of how they're going to continue to support their families, and this is right before Christmas. If this issue were negatively impacting our major cities or our urban areas, there is no way that the current government would be making these decisions. This government believes that this decision is only going to impact regional communities, so they aren't even giving us a chance to have our say. Local fishermen in my electorate of Dawson are going to lose close to 70 per cent of their income due to commercial gillnet bans. Imagine if I stood here today and tried to cut the income of everyone in this room by 70 per cent. There'd be an outcry. This is happening at a time of a Labor created cost-of-living crisis, with 12 interest rate hikes in 18 months and an economy with higher rates of inflation than almost every other advanced economy in the world. It's unbelievable.

The commercial fishing operations are not the only businesses that will suffer. The chandlery shops, the boat builders and repairers, the fishmongers, the ice makers, your local fish and chip shops and your corner stores are all going to suffer because of this senseless decision. I have something to tell the minister and the Albanese Labor government: you're wrong in thinking that it won't impact anyone outside regional communities. With this decision alone, you're removing 2,000 tonnes of wild caught Australian seafood from the market—2,000 tonnes. This is going to result in more expensive, lesser quality imported seafood for the Australian public. When I walk into my local fish and chip shop in Bowen, I like the fact that the fish is wild caught and fresh from our region and not fish that has had to travel thousands of kilometres and is of lesser quality. I'm calling on the Albanese Labor government to recognise that the commercial fishing industry is an important industry that has social, economic, environmental and cultural benefits. Stop bowing down to environmental activism and start making decisions based on science.

Steve Georganas (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

GEORGANAS () (): I want to start off with a small story from my electorate. It follows a Greek family who migrated to Australia and today run one of the largest fishing export businesses in the fishing industry in Australia. What began as a small, family run fish and chip shop in Adelaide in the 1950s is now Raptis Seafoods, which has evolved into one of Australia's largest fishing companies. Half a century on, the business is still proudly family run, with a local and international reputation for responsible fishing and the supply of quality seafood products. Only last month, when we had the fishing industries here, I met with Jim Raptis, who is involved in the business and one of the directors. He went through the whole sustainable fishing process that they do and how that sustains the environment. They're operating 19 commercial vessels across many waters, and their activities range from catching to trading, processing, importing and exporting.

Raptis Seafoods are pioneers of a sustainable approach to managing our nation's valuable fish stocks. Like many fisheries, they're committed to environmental protection through their responsible fishing practices and they embrace cutting-edge technology. They ensure the continued delivery of high-quality seafood from the ocean to the plate. They've certainly been a household name in South Australia for many years. The future of Australian fisheries relies upon sustainable fishing practices and a healthy ocean, and this government is committed to working with businesses such as Raptis Seafoods and other fishing businesses in the industry because we understand that supporting these industries' growth contributes to improved sustainability. We know the importance of identifying emerging issues that are impacting the fisheries and aquaculture sectors, and this government is committed to engaging with and learning from the businesses in the sector to support the growth and resilience of the fishing and agriculture sectors.

This government is delivering a new Futures of Seafood project led by the government, industry and research partners. This $450,000 investment will paint a clearer picture of the impacts of emerging marine activities and of climate change pressures on fishing and aquaculture through detailed mapping and modelling of industry impacts. The government is aiming to pave the way for the success of the fishing and aquaculture industries by enabling strategic planning for the future. There is strong industry engagement and it will chart a course for Australia's future in seafood, alongside other ocean uses for the coming 10-15 years into the future.

We recognise the challenges faced by fishing businesses and regional economies, and we acknowledge the pressures on commercial fisheries owing to the need to protect marine ecosystems and transition to a net zero carbon economy. If we don't protect those marine ecosystems, there will be no fishing industry left in this country, and this Albanese Labor government is dedicated to collaborating with the states and territories, peak bodies like Seafood Industry Australia, fishing businesses, and industry players to support the growth of Australia's aquaculture and fishing sectors.

At the heart of these efforts—and this is progress—is communication with the fishing industry. As the federal member for Adelaide, I am committed to actively engaging with constituents such as Raptis Seafoods, in my electorate, and all other fishing industries. Why? Because businesses like Raptis Seafoods possess the knowledge that ensures their success while preserving our world for future generations and for the industry. I heard a member previously talk about going to his local fish shop and wanting to have Australian produce—I think the majority of Australians want to see Australian seafood in their restaurants, their markets and their shops, and that is what we are striving for.

Michelle Landry (Capricornia, National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Summertime in Australia is synonymous with eating fresh seafood, particularly at Christmastime. It's a normal routine for dozens of eager seafood consumers to wait for hours at their local fishmonger for freshly caught seafood. In fact, it's one of the things my family particularly enjoys around Christmastime. The bountiful seafood caught off the Capricornia coast is always appreciated on a warm Queensland day.

Our country is surrounded by ocean and boasts an amazing supply of fresh fish and crustaceans. With the Australian Bureau of Statistics showing 80 per cent of Australian population living within 50 kilometres of the coast, is it any wonder we consume seafood in the hundreds of tonnes? In the 2020-21 period, Australians consumed an enormous 365,000 tonnes of seafood, equating to almost 14 kilograms for every person. This seafood is all caught in a highly sustainable and environmentally responsible way by hardworking and diligent fishers. The industry in Australia supports 17,000 people with direct employment in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors. The Australian Bureau of Agriculture and Resource Economics has reported that in the 2020-21 period, of the 17,000 people working in fisheries, 10,000 were employed in the fishing and trapping sector. It is projected that these men and women will contribute an astonishing $3.63 billion towards our economy in the 2022-23 period. Not only are our fishers creating sustainable methods in our waters but their world-class fishing practices have paved the way for other countries to model their fishing practices to ensure continued fish-level sustainability, ongoing employment and economic strength.

Our fishers work and live in some of the most unique natural environments on this planet. They are the custodians of this land and water, so I understand the importance of looking after our waterways and oceans not only out of economic interest but also for future generations to enjoy. Fishers fully understand the need to care for the waters which provide for them. The survival of our fish stock underpins their livelihoods and the next generation of fishers, yet this Labor government is playing this industry for fools. Many fishers have been feeding our nation fresh seafood for generations. Now they are being attacked by this government through a series of decisions which are solely based on winning the votes of the inner city. This government is making decisions which will impact not only fishers and their ability to work but also the consumer, by driving up the cost of their Friday night fish and chips. The futures of at least 100 fishing families and their employees are on the line, with part of these changes to include banning the use of gillnets. However, this isn't the only change to impact our fishers. State Labor governments are also adding salt to their wounds by introducing new quotas and bans on catches of a wide range of fish.

What makes the decision by this government to ban gillnets even harder to swallow is the completely inadequate consultation with fishers in the industry. It is incomprehensible that a government could make a policy decision which would impact an industry so greatly and not consult the organisations who are the voice for the fishing sector. Clint Waldon, a third-generation fisher near Marlborough in Central Queensland, said the announcement of a gillnet fishing ban will mean he won't be able to earn a living anymore. Mr Waldon is quoted in the ABC News, stating his business will be 'rendered completely useless' by the gillnet ban. His 80-year-old family business is on the brink of collapse because of Labor's ideological policies. The federal minister for fisheries, however, is missing in action. The minister is claiming these issues do not fall under his portfolio responsibilities and has no intention of becoming involved.

Industry experts such as the Queensland Seafood Industry Association have said the bans are unnecessary, with their executive officer stating that if this government had come to the industry and provided key performance indicators, fishers would've been able to easily meet those requirements. Yet this government has forged ahead with an agenda to appease their inner-city voters. But those living in these cities will be forced to eat seafood imported from other countries, rather than enjoy locally caught seafood, which leaves me incredulous, as our oceans are teeming with seafood. In the past year with Labor at the wheel, Australians have seen their everyday expenses on the rise. The cost of their grocery bills is up by 8.2 per cent in just 12 months. The decision to place a gillnet ban and other quota restrictions will drive up the price of fish for consumers, adding to the pain on the hip pockets of Australians.

Fiona Phillips (Gilmore, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My electorate of Gilmore on the New South Wales South Coast has vibrant commercial and recreational fishing industries, and I certainly value the contribution they make to our community. Sustainability is something that many who work in these industries understand, because without sustainable practices there are no fishing industries. For example, we know that in the South East Trawl Fishery we've seen six non-target fish stocks reduced below sustainable levels, so the Australian Fisheries Management Authority has announced catch limits and some fishing ground closures. But the Albanese government hasn't left these commercial fishers to deal with this on their own. We have announced a $24 million voluntary structural adjustment package for those who want to restructure their operations. These changes will actually deliver a more certain future for those fishing operators who remain active, and our package also supports them with $3 million for levy relief to reduce costs while those fishers transition to the new management arrangements.

It's a big change—we absolutely appreciate that—and we're working with industry to support them as best we can through that process, promoting sustainability to secure the future of this highly valuable industry. Our local fishers do an amazing job. But local recreational fishers tell me that some of the simple things we could be doing more of, at all levels of government, to support our fishers and grow future fishers are things like more local fishing infrastructure and greater fishing educational opportunities.

Recreational fishing on the New South Wales South Coast attracts an enormous amount of interest, and members of our local fishing clubs and our local fishing associations are great advocates for the fishing industry. The opportunities to make fishing more accessible and inclusive, to both retain and grow fishers, are very real. We are pleasingly seeing more females take up this exciting sport and recreational pursuit, and, as people age, we need to make sure that local fishing infrastructure provides support to enable the continuation of fishing and to also make sure that fishing is attractive and possible for people with a disability. Take, for example, the Tuross Head jetty that I was able to help fund with a $200,000 federal grant and officially open. It was with great local advocacy through the Tuross Head Progress Association and the Disability Inclusion Advisory Committee for Eurobodalla Shire Council that we learnt the jetty needed more points for people to hang onto—which is what occurred. This is a great example of a simple thing that makes a big difference. I've been told that this group is pushing for this to be part of the code for future local infrastructure.

Locals have also told me about the need for more educational opportunities to encourage people to experience fishing, and perhaps move into the fishing and seafood industry. The popular Gone Fishing Day is a great example, where people get to try fishing, but there needs to be more of these types of days. Educational opportunities, such as the Certificate II in Fishing Industry-Recreational Services, a TAFE delivered HSC VET content endorsed course, should be promoted more, as locals tell me that this is a very important pathway into the many and varied jobs in the fishing industry. As a former TAFE teacher who taught maritime studies at a variety of levels, I can certainly vouch for the importance of educational pathways playing a vital role in shaping our future workforce, careers and business opportunities.

Like many in this place, I'm a member of the Parliamentary Friends of the Australian Seafood Industry. I'm a friend of this group because I know how important fishing and seafood is to the New South Wales South Coast region. A while back, I got to see firsthand the diversity of fishing and seafood careers and our future leaders in the industry by attending the graduation of leaders in the National Seafood Industry Leadership Program. I was astounded at the opportunities out there. We just need to make sure, at all levels of government, that we are tapping in to help enable careers in the fishing industry.

And that takes me to the wonderful richness of history and culture of our commercial fishers at Ulladulla. We need to support our commercial fishers; we need to keep that tradition alive. One way the local Ulladulla community is doing that is with the annual blessing of the fleet, which started in 1956. Each Easter Sunday, Ulladulla comes alive with a festival full of Italian Catholic tradition to bless the fishing fleet for a plentiful catch and a safe return. I want to thank the Ulladulla blessing of the fleet committee and all our fishers across the region, both commercial and recreational, for all you do to support the fishing industry and our communities.

Andrew Wallace (Fisher, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I represent what is undoubtedly the best electorate in the country. Fisher is the place of choice for education, employment and retirement. It's a place of industry, innovation and unparalleled natural beauty, and it boasts one of the oldest and most successful commercial fishery industries in the country.

The fishing industry is one of the crucial primary industries which have long girded our national economy. It's one of the oldest industries in human history, and it will continue to play a vital role in ensuring food security for many years to come. The sector employs as many as 17,000 people and over 300 families on the Sunshine Coast. They rely on the industry to make ends meet in what is an increasingly difficult economic time. Cost of living is through the roof.

I think of companies in my electorate like Walker Seafoods, one of Australia's best seafood exporters. Based in Mooloolaba, in my electorate, Walker Seafoods is Australia's only MSC certified tuna company. Walker Seafoods' swordfish and tuna recently featured in a Jamie Oliver special at Petermen dining.

I recently visited Mooloolaba Fisheries, which is a different business, where owner, Gary, and chef Paul have launched the Mooloolaba schnitty, a panko crumbed tuna version of the classic chicken schnitzel. It's very, very good. I encourage you all to try it. Gary told me, in my discussions with him just last week, that their power bills are set to jump by almost 75 per when he comes off contract. These increases in power costs could cripple a small business like Mooloolaba Fisheries. That is the reality of the Australian dream under this Albanese government. It is slipping out of the reach of everyday Australians.

Fishing is a quintessentially Australian industry. It deserves support from this government, yet this government has imposed a sustained assault on the industry. Those opposite meddled have with the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility Scheme. They've made backpacker visas more expensive and more restrictive. They've increased taxes on truckies and heavy vehicle road users and introduced a new biosecurity levy. They've imposed green tape and uniform bans on things like gillnets, risking 100 small and family businesses in Queensland alone. At the same time, state Labor are enforcing new quotas and catch bans on a wide range of fishing. This has knock-on effects for restaurants, packers, suppliers and a number of small businesses at the other end of the supply chain.

When I was on the wharf at Mooloolaba last week, an industry participant was telling me that the prawning boats had been tied up at the wharf for six weeks—all of them—because of the Queensland state Labor government's forced moratorium on prawning for a six-week period. That might sound all well and good for some, but what about those people who are trying to make a living—the people who have huge mortgages on those boats and who employ so many people, on the wharf and in their factories? I've also spoken many times to other fisherman, who told me about their longlines, which can stretch out for kilometres. One of those longlines drifted into an area that was a no-fish area, and they were threatened with imprisonment and fines of over a million dollars. That was under the former federal Labor government.

This government needs to remember and recognise that fishing is such an important industry. It provides us with our protein. Those opposite need to let our fishers do their job, and that is to go and fish. Governments need to get out of the pockets of small businesses.

Bridget Archer (Bass, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The time allotted for this debate has expired. The debate is adjourned, and the resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting. The Federation Chamber is suspended until 4 pm.

Sitting suspended from 13 : 2 3 to 16 : 07