Tuesday, 1 April 2025

Victorian Fisheries Authority

Brad ROWSWELL (Sandringham) (19:17): (1097) My adjournment matter this evening is for the Minister for Outdoor Recreation. The action that I seek is for the minister to provide the Victorian Fisheries Authority with the funds that they need to retain all existing fisheries officers and fishery enforcement stations. While today may be April Fools’ Day, this is certainly not a laughing matter. Earlier this year news leaked that the Allan Labor government was sneakily attempting to gut the Victorian Fisheries Authority. It has now been revealed that, due to the Allan Labor government’s poor budget management, some 35 Victorian workers at the authority will lose their jobs and five crucial fisheries enforcement stations will be closed. This loss of these frontline jobs will mean fewer inspections, less oversight and more illegal fishing and environmental damage. It is a slap in the face to responsible fishers who do the right thing and expect the rules to be enforced fairly. According to a 2020 report by Ernst & Young, over 1.1 million Victorians participate in recreational fishing. Recreational fishing contributes over $7.5 billion to the state’s economy and helps support over 27,000 ‍jobs.

At a local level I am deeply concerned about the impact of these changes on our Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary. I think of organisations in my community – the Friends of Ricketts Point, the Friends of Ricketts Point Landside, the Beaumaris Motor Yacht Squadron, the Bayside Earth Sciences Society Inc, the Beaumaris Conservation Society, the Black Rock and Sandringham Conservation Association and Marine Care Ricketts Point. All of these organisations, which have invested literally thousands of hours into the protection of our marine parks and our marine sanctuary, are being dudded by this government. Without enough fisheries officers, illegal fishing can run rampant. Poachers will be able to deplete fishing stocks. Without enough fisheries officers, our natural environment is put at risk. Without enough fisheries officers, illegal fishing operators will be able to undercut legitimate operators. Without enough fisheries officers, reckless boating, speeding and noncompliance will endanger lives.

Earlier this month VRFish, the peak body representing recreational fishing in Victoria, carried out a survey. Ninety-five per cent of respondents and over 2000 responses did not support sacking vital fisheries officers. At the same time the Allan Labor government is cutting frontline services in Victoria they are bizarrely hiring more highly paid spin doctors to work on the Premier’s pet project, the Suburban Rail Loop. We know that there are 54 highly paid staff working in strategic communications and engagement, with one being paid $490,000 a year.

Victorians should not be punished because the Allan Labor government has got their priorities all wrong. The Liberals and Nationals will always stand with recreational fishers and boaters to ensure sustainable fishing stocks, responsible management of our marine environments and safe waterways. The minister should immediately reverse these damaging cuts and ensure these vital fisheries officers can keep working in the future.