Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Deb Frecklington says Labor’s move to close three areas to commercial fishermen in central and northern Queensland is policy on the fly with no consultation with key stakeholders.
Mrs Frecklington said she said this knee jerk reaction is evidence of Labor’s negative attitude towards primary producers.
“The LNP puts a major focus on primary industries because we know how important this sector is to our State, as opposed to Labor, which up until the election didn’t even have a fishing policy. Queensland will go backwards because of Labor's indecision, inexperience and lack of commitment to this vital industry,” Mrs Frecklington said.
“In this instance, they have committed to a policy of closing three areas to commercial fishermen with absolutely no consultation. Nobody in the region has been given the opportunity to voice their opinion and the result is we have group of people who have been left totally in the dark by their new State Government,” she said.
Mrs Frecklington said she will be meeting with Queensland Seafood Industry Association President, Karen Collard early next week to discuss the announcement and the impact it will have on the State’s commercial fishermen.
“I’ll be talking with Ms Collard to get an overview of how this decision will affect the industry as a whole,”
“We must have a wholistic approach. I’ll be assuring the industry that I understand commercial fishing supports and create jobs and drive economic growth. Commercial fishing works alongside recreational fishing and the two shouldn’t be pitted against each other,” she said.
“Overall, I am extremely concerned that under Labor our fishing sector will seriously suffer, and already they have merged the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry with Sport and Racing, which to me shows there is little regard for the people who produce our food. Once again primary industries has been absorbed by super bureaucracy which just won’t be able to fully focus on this key industry,” she said.
