Fishing ban gets the flick
28 July 2010
The Victorian Government and Coalition have finally guaranteed they
will not expand the state's marine national parks network during the
next four-year term of government.
The commitment was made in response to an outcry by the
recreational and commercial fishing industry in The Weekly Times last
week following green group calls for the parks network to be expanded
to 25 per cent of Victoria's marine environment.
Before last week the Government and Coalition had refused to
rule out establishing more parks during the next term of government,
arguing instead that they had no plans to change current arrangements.
In The Weekly Times last week East Gippsland Independent Craig
Ingram called on both sides of politics to introduce a five-year
moratorium on establishing or expanding marine parks, similar to that
introduced in NSW last month.
The following day Environment Minister Gavin Jennings had
issued a press release stating the Government had ``ruled out creating
more marine parks and would not amend the current marine national parks
before the election or during the next term of government''.
"While independent groups like the Victorian National Parks
Association are free to put forward their views, this is not a proposal
that the Brumby Labor Government is entertaining,'' Mr Jennings said.
The Government has already created 13 marine national parks
and 11 smaller sanctuaries, protecting 5.3 per cent of our coastal
waters.
Coalition Environment spokeswoman Mary Wooldridge said the Coalition would match the Government's commitment.
"We won't be having any (more) marine parks in the next term of government,'' Ms Wooldridge said.
She said a Coalition Government would instead focus on addressing Labor's neglect of existing marine parks.
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