Re: Hawkesbury Bioshelf Marine Park

[Nete-Quette]

The Honourable Carmel Tebbutt, MP
Minister for Climate Change and the Environment
Level 30 Governor Macquarie Tower
1 Farrer Place
Sydney, NSW, 2000

Dear Minister:

Re: Hawkesbury Bioshelf Marine Park

AAG has received information that the Marine Parks Authority has two proposals for 2 marine parks in Sydney, and these are apparently at the very early draft stage.

One proposal involves the area along Royal National Park south of Sydney to 3 nautical miles to sea. The second is from North Head and north to the northern side of the entrance of the Hawkesbury River.

We also understand these proposals have not been made public as it is recognised there will be very strong public reaction which could adversely affect these proposals.

Minister, would you confirm or otherwise these reports of proposals for 2 marine parks in the Hawkesbury Bioshelf as detailed above?

If you cannot confirm these reported proposals, will stand by the statements made by former Environment Ministers Bob Debus and Verity Firth and DPI Minister Ian Macdonald, some as recently as March this year, that the NSW Government has no plans at all to create marine parks in the Hawkesbury Bioshelf region?

If not, then why not?
May we receive the courtesy of an accurate and specific response to these questions in line with Premier Nathan Rees oft stated desire for government to become more accountable to the people of NSW.


Yours sincerely


Phillip Ingram
President
Anglers Action Group

[maniak]

         Any planls for the introduction of a marine park in Port stephens was vehemently denied by Minister Macdonald at a meeting with fishers at Nelson Bay in September 2006. He stated any moves to establish a Marine Park were at least 5 years away and could be as long as 7 years away. The Marine Park was announced by Debus two months later and was fully implemented by April 2007 seven months later.
          What is the point of trying to get any politician to confirm or deny anything? We all know the truth counts for little when dealing with these people so why pursue it.
Maniak

[ACTAngler]

Phil, appears around here you are damned if you do and damned if you don't.  I appreciate your efforts mate.

[maniak]

Guys,
        My apologies for being a little harsh perhaps - My point is there is plenty of information available now that shows the Marine parks have no scientific basis and all these outlandish claims of spillover, biodiversity protection etc are not true. Many MP proponents have accepted that and simply changed tack.
         Having evidence of misrepresentation or deception seemingly counts for little.
        At a recent meeting with MPA reps at Port Stephens when asked about any real evidence to support the spillover " because that is how the marine park was sold to us" the MPA staff just laughed as if to say "there is none but - so what, we got what we wanted"
         In other words - well you have found us out (we lied) but that is not going to change anything.
        My point is this the whole fiasco is really based on anti fishing and pollies dont care whether its honest, based on science or anything else.
         It is no longer a scientific argument based on truth but an anti-fishing argument based on where the most political gain is to be had and if a few thousand lies are told - so be it.

Maniak

[CEO]

  Sad isn't it when the governance of this once great state is reduced to decisions based upon political expediency and preference deals, simply just to stay in power. All is not lost however. There is a sliver of light way down the tunel. We will all get the opportunity to change things for the better, on March 26 th 2011. Don't waste that opportunity this time!