Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the Environment and Communications References Committee's report Factory freezer trawlers in the Commonwealth Small Pelagic Fishery. First of all, I would like to acknowledge those who made submissions to this inquiry, those who gave vital evidence at the hearings, and the secretariat staff for their assistance throughout the hearings in putting together this report.

Together with Senator Brown, I moved the reference to establish this inquiry last year after the arrival of the supertrawler, Geelong Star, in Australian waters. I thank the Senate for agreeing to resume this inquiry after it lapsed at the dissolution of the last parliament. We sought this inquiry as there was a clear need for further examination of the science and the potential impacts of supertrawlers as well as a clear need to revisit and reassess what the most appropriate regulatory and compliance arrangements are.

In proposing this inquiry, we listened to the ongoing concerns about the operations of supertrawlers from the Tasmanian community and across the country. It was disappointing that the Liberal and National parties opposed the inquiry. Time and again, this Liberal National government shows a disturbing pattern of trying to shut down legitimate inquiries and dodging scrutiny. The community deserves to have confidence that the federal parliament is open and transparent, and blocking inquiries is not the way to achieve this.

I welcome the news overnight that the Geelong Star has departed Australian waters. However, a certain mystery about its departure remains. Key questions that the Turnbull government—through the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, Deputy Prime Minister Joyce—must answer are: has the Geelong Star left for good? What are you going to do if it or another supertrawler returns? First, will Minister Joyce acknowledge the widespread community concern about the operation of supertrawlers in the Small Pelagic Fishery? Second, will Minister Joyce use this period without an operational supertrawler to strengthen regulations and management of large-capacity factory trawlers in the Small Pelagic Fishery or will the minister continue to be lost at sea on the supertrawler and continue to oppose all efforts by Labor and others to improve regulation and management of supertrawlers?

Labor remains committed to preventing the operation of all large-capacity factory trawlers in Australian waters until a thorough assessment against the most up-to-date science can verify that operations will not undermine small pelagic fisheries and recreational fishing spots. In government, Labor ensured appropriate consideration was given to the impact of large-capacity factory trawlers on Australia's fisheries by amending the EPBC Act. Our amendment guaranteed Australia's waters were adequately protected from risks associated with the use of large-capacity factory trawlers.

In September 2012, the then Labor government used these powers to ban the operation of the FV Margiris while an assessment of its impact was undertaken. We established an independent expert panel to provide an objective judgement of the environmental impacts of this trawling activity. This ban applied to vessels of similar size and capacity to the original large-capacity factory trawler only, and it included vessels that received or processed fish, not just trawler vessels. The ban was opposed by the Liberal and National coalition when in opposition. A sunset clause in the original amendments enacted in 2012 means that no further bans can be placed on new large-capacity factory trawlers hoping to fish Australian waters. To ensure that further bans are possible, Labor introduced legislation into the Senate in early 2014 to remove the sunset clause. Under our plan, all future large-capacity factory trawlers could be thoroughly assessed using the most up-to-date science, thereby protecting our oceans and our recreational fishing spots.

The Abbott and Turnbull Liberal-National coalition governments have continued to refuse to work with us on this important issue. This is not about locking up an industry to destroy Australian jobs, as those opposite would have people believe. Very few Australian jobs were created by the operations of the GeelongStar. In evidence to the committee, the operator stated that the main officers on the vessel, such as the captain, are Europeans who hold subclass 457 visas—remarkable! Today, in my office, I met with members of the Australian Maritime Officers Union who told me there are many qualified, experienced Australian officers who are 'on the beach', as they say. That basically means 'unemployed'. Perhaps the GeelongStar operator should have looked to Australia first for its main officers.

Of course, there is also the impact on recreational fishers, and I acknowledge the contributions of many, many recreational fishers in holding the government to account. There are environmental issues associated with bycatch and localised depletion that were obviously too much for the GeelongStar to overcome. So bon voyage, GeelongStar, and do not come back.