SENATOR RON BOSWELL

LEADER OF THE NATIONALS IN THE SENATE

13 August 2007 [B2007/124]

Green Grab for Moreton Bay Exposed

Leader of The Nationals in the Senate, Ron Boswell, today released a map displaying the potential impact of state government fishing closures in Moreton Bay, and called for the immediate public release of more detailed EPA mapping.

“Commercial and recreational fishermen need to know that the Green grab we feared for Moreton Bay is officially on,” Senator Boswell said.

“The map I am presenting was produced from incomplete data supplied to stakeholders by the EPA as part of Beattie Labor’s Moreton Bay zoning plan review.

“It clearly shows some of the areas of interest for ‘green’ protection zones that the radical environmentalists are intent on claiming.

“Alarmingly, nearly half of the areas described as areas of interest for closure by the EPA don’t have accompanying co-ordinates, so although we have an idea of the general area of these proposals, it has not been possible to include them accurately on my map.

Mapping coordinates were provided for only 21 of the 35 areas described. Areas named without the provision of coordinates include Amity Banks, Myora/Wanga Wallen Banks, Lamb Island, Pannikin Island, Willes Island Protection Zone, Cobby Cobby Island, Swan Bay Protection Zone & Never Never Creek, McCoys Creek Protection Zone, Coombabah Lakes, Westaways Creek Section, Cape Moreton, Hays Inlet, Bramble Bay and Moreton Banks. The extent of these proposed closures and extensions to existing closures are unknown at this stage.

“Fishermen will be alarmed at the mention of such areas as Bramble Bay, Hays Inlet and Amity Point as possible closure areas,” Senator Boswell said.

“The complete EPA maps referred to in their data would be more detailed and better show the extent of the areas under consideration for closure. They should be provided to the public immediately and I am talking to my State colleagues about how this can be achieved.

“However, even if we only take into account those areas that I have been able to map from the data provided, you can see that the closures would have an effect on family fishing and the commercial fleet supplying much of Brisbane’s seafood.

“If Labor want to close off fishing in the Bay as part of their preference deal with the Greens at the last election, then they will need to pay a huge price.

“I repeat my call today for a full social and economic impact statement to be undertaken.

“I am of the view that, when the full cost of any closures is investigated and presented and it is made clear that the State Government will be held responsible for that cost, they won’t want to go down the track of such extensive, unnecessary closures.

“We have already seen the hundreds of millions of dollars that similar zoning has cost on the Great Barrier Reef as a result of fishing closures like those planned for Moreton Bay and we don’t want to ever see that kind of unnecessary impact on our fishing industries again.

“Now that we have this map before us, and commercial and recreational fishermen can see just some of the extent of the proposed Green grab, I expect that there will be a lot more strong opposition to this proposal to follow from local families and fishing businesses.

“This kind of ludicrous, radical plan is what we get when Labor and the Greens combine.

“You can see the influence that the Greens have on Labor when they are in Government at the State level and there is no doubt it would be disastrous if this partnership were to be repeated federally.”

ENDS

Media contact – 07 3001 8150 or 0428 714 779

GOVERNMENT CONTACTS:

Minister EPA, Hon Lindy Nelson –Carr EandM@ministerial.qld.gov.au

Premier Mr. Peter Beattie on premiers@ministerial.qld.gov.au