Steve Fielding (Victoria, Family First Party) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President. I will start again. My question is to Senator Johnston, the Minister representing the Attorney-General. Minister, as you are aware, in December last year the government changed the law so that recreational fishermen caught dropping a line in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park green zones would no longer receive criminal convictions. While the government fixed its mess, there are still 324 fishermen who were prosecuted before the law was changed and who now all have criminal records. Minister, given that the government has only partly fixed the problem, and given that it now admits this breach is not criminal activity, will it now rescind the criminal convictions of these 324 fishermen and grant them all a pardon?