Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Furner for his supplementary question. It is vital to support the sector. As we know, millions of Australians around the country are recreational fishers. In Queensland, there has been a visceral reaction against the cruel cuts by Premier Newman. I refer senators in this chamber to, and I am sure they all read, Bush 'n Beachit is a good read and I subscribe to it. I will read from a selection of some articles—there was not one; there were five—about issues condemning Queensland for the cruel cuts in the rec fishing industry. Mr Robin Caddy, the President of Freshwater Fishing and Stocking Association of Queensland, said of the cuts, 'To be treated in this manner is deplorable.' Mr David Bateman, Deputy Chairman of Sunfish, said that, 'Delegates were astounded that the government's first reaction was to cut recreational fishing community projects—'. (Time expired)