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

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes:

(i) the release of the World Wide Fund for Nature report Living Blue Planet Report: Species, habitats and human well being,

(ii) That the report found that:

  (A) 29 per cent of marine fisheries are overfished and that marine species are under increasing threat around the globe, including around one in four species of sharks, rays and skates are threatened with extinction,

  (B) key habitats, including coral reefs, sea grasses and mangroves, are declining, and

  (C) by increasing the marine protected area coverage to 30 per cent, up to US$920 billion could be generated between 20l5 and 2050, and

(iii) the Government's suspension of the marine protected areas with the 'redevelopment' of marine protected area management plans; and

(b) calls on the Government to:

(i) re instate the marine protected areas management plans and marine protected areas, and

(ii) consider the solutions outlined in the report.

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Deputy President, I seek leave to make a short statement.

Gavin Marshall (Victoria, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The coalition oppose this motion. We are 100 per cent committed to a network of marine parks. Through the Commonwealth Marine Reserves Review process, we have run over 170 consultations nationwide to ensure that when we do implement marine management plans they appropriately balance conservation, recreation, commercial and Indigenous needs. Labor should have tried consulting with the communities who depend on the marine environment when they were in government. The Australian fisheries management framework is second to none. The recent ABARES fishery status reports show that no solely Commonwealth managed fisheries is subject to over-fishing. This is a significant milestone, highlighting that we should be proud of our exceptionally well-managed fisheries.

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

Mr Deputy President, I seek leave to make a short statement.

Gavin Marshall (Victoria, Deputy-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

As I am sure the coalition generally does know, there was an extensive amount of consultation carried out on the world-leading biodiversity marine protected area system that was in place until about two months after the Abbott government came to power, when it effectively got rid of our marine reserves by suspending the management plans. The news that came out just at the end of last week that 38 per cent of the world's coral reefs will be subject to coral bleaching, of which five to 10 per cent will be permanently dead, highlights yet again the importance of making sure that we have the world's best marine protected system to give our coral reefs the best chance they can have to survive climate change.

Gavin Marshall (Victoria, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Siewert. Again, I remind senators that statements by leave to motions during discovery of formal business should not amount to a de facto debate on the motion. The question is that general business notice of motion No. 879 be agreed to.

Question agreed to.