You wouldn’t think fishermen in our southern oceans and farmers in northern Victoria and southern NSW would have much in common? But they do.
Their livelihoods are all threatened by a federal Environment and Water Minister who won’t listen to their concerns, but is ever ready to make rulings that defy common-sense.
In what has been labelled ‘Plibersek’s green tide’, the Minister has changed marine park rules to ban fishing, and as a consequence the fishermen say it will affect livelihoods and force up seafood prices.
Simon Boag, of the Southern Shark Industry Alliance, was quoted saying: “It reeks of poor decision making – failing to get in the car and come to regional Victoria and Tasmania and actually talk to fishermen about the reality of what they are proposing.”
Talking to those affected by her decisions, and listening to viable alternatives, is not something Minister Plibersek seems to care about.
In northern Victoria and southern NSW, she barges ahead with water buybacks, despite all the evidence that they are unnecessary and have significant adverse social and economic impact on communities.
Yet numerous invitations to Minister Plibersek to visit these regions and get a greater understanding of how to effectively balance water management, so alternatives can be considered are ignored.
It seems the minister is too comfortable in her north Sydney lifestyle to bother about the impact of her actions on those who are trying to put food on our tables.
So when you pay more at the supermarket for staple foods, or start paying more for your seafood, please think about why this is occurring, and give a nod to the minister who is making a unique contribution.
Especially one in a government which claims it wants to tackle the cost of living crisis.
Yours etc.
Shelley Scoullar
Chair, Speak Up Campaign
33°C