Federal Member for Leichhardt, Warren Entsch, echoes concerns recently raised by Senators Jonno Duniam and Susan McDonald at a Senate Estimates hearing this week in Canberra. The Albanese Government’s mismanagement of Australia’s commercial fishing industry marks a betrayal of regional Queensland fishers and their communities.
“Senator Watt’s lack of accountability for his own portfolio and the absence of proper consultation is a new low,” said Mr Entsch.
These inadequacies have come to light during this week’s Senate Estimates hearing, where it was revealed that the Federal and Queensland Labor Governments acted to ban gillnets without even consulting relevant federal bodies like the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) and the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC).
“It’s incomprehensible how critical decisions are being made without even consulting the bodies specifically tasked with advising on these issues,” Mr Entsch said. “This ill-advised gillnets ban will have severe ramifications on the cost of seafood, hitting already-stretched household budgets hard. People who can’t catch their own fish shouldn’t have to pay the price for this government’s poor decisions.”
Entsch highlighted Australia’s well-managed fisheries. “Australia boasts some of the most sustainably managed fisheries in the world. The reckless decision to ban gillnets fails to recognise our responsible management practices and threatens to push us towards sourcing unsustainable alternatives. This move is purely political, showing a complete disregard for the sustainable and responsible fisheries management our local industry is known for.”
Entsch also criticised the ideological stance that has overshadowed pragmatic solutions in this matter. “This has moved from environmental concern to outright activism, leaving Australian families and communities in the lurch. As my senate colleagues have pointed out this week, there is a serious lack of information and transparency in how these decisions have been made.”
“In a time when the livelihood of our fishers and the financial well-being of ordinary Australians are at stake, it’s time for the Government to be transparent about the reasoning and research behind their decisions,” said Mr Entsch.
Entsch strongly urged the Albanese Government to immediately review these poorly-conceived bans and to start meaningful engagement with stakeholders. “The future of our fisheries, the livelihood of our fishers, and the financial well-being of ordinary Australians are at stake,” he said.
