Press Release

The announcement by the Gillard Government of the establishment of 44 marine parks covering over a third of Australian waters is nothing more than another attack on primary industries by Labor in order to appease their Greens masters, the Pastoralists and Graziers Association (PGA) said today.

“It is rather ironic that following the anniversary of the suspension of live cattle exports to Indonesia which almost destroyed the northern cattle industry, the Gillard Government has initiated another reckless policy which will destroy the fishing industry,” PGA President Rob Gillam said.

“Once again the Labor Government is prepared to sacrifice another primary industry in order to satisfy their Coalition partner’s desire to declare every track of land and every body of water a conservation area.”

“The scientific evidence that large scale marine parks will protect fish stocks is about as sound as the evidence that supports anthropogenic global warming.”

“All the Government has done by establishing these reserves is destroy the Australian commercial fishing industry and opened the flood gates for illegal fishing and over fishing by our Asian neighbors.”

“As was made evident through the live exports suspension fiasco - primary producers don’t want compensation; they want to be able to continue with their livelihoods.”

“It is time that the Gillard Government starts listening to regional constituents, rather than their political masters – the Greens.”