'Boating & Fishing Council of Australia' launches with Coral Sea issue

by Jeni Bone on 21 Sep 2009 The ‘Boating and Fishing Council of Australia’ held its first meeting at the Brisbane Boat Show last month and was officially launched in Canberra last Thursday 17 September.

The alliance includes: Australian Marine Industries Federation (AMIF), Australian Fishing Trade Association (AFTA), BIA NSW, Recfish Australia, OEDA and Australian Marine Engine Council (AMEC).

The first issue being addressed by the Council is the bio-regional planning process and marine protected areas.

Don Jones, MQ’s General Manager, said the organisation evolved as a result of the need in the industry for a “single voice on issues of national significance”.

“That was a criticism of the broader industry, that it was so fragmented. In the history of the Australian marine industry, there hasn’t been a single voice on areas of national significance for fishing and boating interests, outboard distributors, and fishing tackle and trade. The Council is bringing all of those together and providing a single voice on issues of common interest.”

Using the model of the Minerals Council of Australia, the Council will be lobbying government on issues related to boating and fishing. “We did our research and fond the Mining Council was very effective for the Mining industry, and has been delivering the best outcomes on issues of mutual interest.”

First on the agenda is the bio-regional planning process. Jones says the Council “strongly supports its original intent” but feels it has been hijacked by green groups.

“The purpose of of the bio-regional planning process, established by the Howard government, was to provide detailed and accurate information to government on the Australian exclusive economic zone – three to 200 nautical miles out to sea. That’s 15 million square kilometres – twice the size of the continental land mass. It was supposed to provide objective information so government would be able to judge applications for mining, petroleum exploration, tourism, fishing, sea dumping and military activity. It was meant to deliver reliable and accurate information to make those assessments.”

Jones continues: “The Council does support the concept, but our view is that what appears to be happening is a strong green agenda being injected into the process. That is clearly part of its role, but not the intent of the entire process.”

Jones refers to the Coral Sea issue, which he explains is “part of the Eastern bio-region – from tip of Cape York to Batemans Bay in NSW”. “But before any detailed reports have been presented, government wants to slap restrictions on the area, which is one million kilometres of coastline, and label it a green zone. The Council is an important mechanism to inject balance into the process.”

Spokesperson, Dean Logan, based in Canberra, is Secretariat of the Council and its prime lobbyist. Under his guidance, the Council launched in Canberra last week, with significant meetings with Peter Garrett, Minister for the Environment, Tony Burke, Minister for Fisheries, plus Senators and Parliamentarians from each State and Territory, except the ACT and Tasmania, on both sides of the House.

“There was a lot of interest in what we’re doing,” says Logan. “The response was overwhelmingly positive. It’s the first time so many groups from the marine, boating and fishing industries have come together. The day was very good. Our aims were to introduce an absolutely unified team, the second was to raise with every member of parliament, our concern with the Coral Sea being declared a conservation zone. The concern there is that it already comes under the scope of the bio-regional planning process. The declaration, in our opinion, is unnecessary.

'The Minister (Peter Garrett) said he only makes decisions on empirical, scientific evidence, but there is none to support the declaration. Plus, our real concern was that Industry received two hours notice, which goes against the whole process and is unacceptable as far as industry is concerned.”

The Council is currently planning its next move on the Coral Sea issue. “We are concerned that the media doesn’t pick the story up as ‘another industry lobby group opposed to the environment’. Our aim is to show that we support the preservation of our waterways. We can have a win-win scenario here. Our principal argument is that the Coral Sea should be SOLELY dealt with under the bio-regional planning process.”

The next step, according to Jones, is “further development of the policy manifesto – common interest issues and topics – which is due for early October”.

“Within a fortnight, there will be a website with our information,” says Logan.

For information email dean.logan@optusnet.com.au