Federal Labor’s marine reserves announcement would destroy fishing communities and hundreds of family-run small businesses along the Queensland coast, the Newman Government has said.
Member for Burnett, Stephen Bennett said Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke’s announcement to lock-up huge areas off the Central and North Queensland coast was madness.
“Labor’s dance to the Greens in the run-up to the Federal election will destroy Queensland jobs and local businesses,” Mr Bennett said.
“The impact right across our fishing communities will be enormous.
“It will export Queensland jobs as local fishing outfits are shut-down.
“There will be a marked shift to imported seafood – that will rape fragile reef and other marine environments overseas where there is no proper management.
“This is a lose-lose for the environment and particularly for local fishing jobs. The marine parks, and the job losses they will cause won’t come into effect til 2014 – after the next Federal election.
“Our fishing industries are recognised as among the best managed and most sustainable in the world. We already have fishing exclusions across vast areas.
“There is no sound scientific base for this. This is about Tony Burke and the Gillard Labor Government trying to stop the flow of votes to the greens.
“Fishing communities from Mooloolaba to Karumba will be hit hard as commercial operators are locked out of vast areas of the Coral Sea and the Gulf of Carpentaria.
“Every small support business that supplies fuel and supplies to repair, refit and service contractors will suffer.
“It’s another dodgy Labor deal with the Greens before any details of compensation have been worked out.
“You’ve really got to ask – when will the Gillard Government start growing industries and stop killing them,” Mr Bennett said.