Select Committee on Marine Parks in South Australia

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (17:31): I will be speaking on the motion in relation to the interim select committee report at a later stage, but I wanted to make some remarks in relation to this motion which is to extend the terms of reference of the committee.

Adjourned debate on motion of Hon. D.G.E. Hood:

That it be an instruction to the Select Committee on Marine Parks in South Australia that its terms of reference be extended by inserting new paragraph 1A as follows:

1A.That the select committee inquire into and report upon—

(a)the government's proposed recent amendments to the draft management plans and impact statements for each of the proposed 19 marine parks in South Australia; and

(b)any other related matter.

(Continued from 28 November 2012.)

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (17:31): I will be speaking on the motion in relation to the interim select committee report at a later stage, but I wanted to make some remarks in relation to this motion which is to extend the terms of reference of the committee.

The original sanctuary zones caused outrage across the state in every region which contains coastal waters. A public meeting was organised by the member for Bragg at which we had so many people that they were literally climbing in through the windows and in many layers outside trying to get in, so there was obviously a lot of anger from a lot of people at that stage.

The new Premier, on being installed by his factions, had sniffed the political breeze and this was well into the term of the committee when it had taken much evidence on the original sanctuary zones, so this is sensible now that those original sanctuary zones have been pulled and replaced by an alternative. This means that there are fewer regions which are affected but there is still an impact on those particular areas being Port Wakefield, and anybody who drives through the area will see that signs have been erected warning what is going to happen to the local fishing industry. The West Coast and Kangaroo Island will also be quite severely affected.

It makes sense that the committee should continue to exist and that it should report on the evidence that it has taken but that we should also examine these new areas because we are interested in fairness for all South Australians to ensure that the zones that have been proposed by the government will actually do what they are supposed to do which is protect the marine environment and not cause more than 5 per cent economic impact. With those remarks, I indicate that we will be supporting this motion.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. G.A. Kandelaars.