Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that 305 senior scientists and experts have submitted their concerns about the shark cull to the Environment Protection Authority in a Letter of Expert Concern which clearly demonstrates the lack of any scientific basis for the Western Australian shark cull; and

(b) calls on the Federal Government to reject the Western Australian shark cull.

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We oppose this motion. The Minister for the Environment has determined that the Western Australian shark mitigation proposal requires full and rigorous assessment and approval under national environmental law for its potential to impact on listed, threatened and migratory species. The proposal is being assessed by the Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority under the existing bilateral agreement, an agreement put in place by Mr Tony Burke which has been in operation since 2012. The Minister for the Environment will not pre-empt a decision on the proposal and will assess it in full accordance with national environmental law.

Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The shark cull in Western Australia ran, as we know, over the summer and there is now a PER document out for public consultation, as Senator Fifield just articulated. The important part of this motion is that over 300—in fact now 305—scientists have written to the state and the federal governments to outline a letter of concern and to highlight very particularly the lack of scientific evidence around the Western Australian government's proposed shark cull or the continuation of the shark cull for three years. Three hundred and five international and Australian scientists are expressing very strongly their concern about this cull. This is about the federal government taking that information into account and rejecting what is a cruel practice that will decimate the shark species. (Time expired)

Question agreed to.