Northern Territory Second Reading Speeches
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FISHERIES AMENDMENT BILL 2004
(This an uncorrected proof of the daily report. It is made available under the condition that it is recognised as such.)
Bill presented and read a first time.
Mr VATSKALIS (Primary Industry and Fisheries): Madam Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a second time.
The purpose of this bill is to amend the Fisheries Act, in response to the recommendations made in the consultant’s report arising from the review conducted of the Fisheries Act in accordance with the National Competition Principles Agreement.
The amendments in the bill provide for the following:
∙ Inclusion of an objects clause in the Act. The objects emphasise the importance of a flexible approach to the management of fishery and aquatic resources of the Northern Territory. That management of the resource be undertaken in accordance with the principles of ecological sustainable development and, secondly, that there be fairness, equity and access to aquatic resources by all user or stakeholder groups in our community.
∙ The removal of certain restrictions that allows for a more flexible approach to licensing arrangements. In future, the grant of a new fishery licence will have as its primary regard the sustainable development of the fishery. The Director of Fisheries will, by means of an open public process, allocate new licences. The restrictions on foreign ownership of licences will be abolished.
∙ Additional terms used in the act to be defined, such as ‘ecologically sustainable development’.
As a consequence of these amendments to the act, it is also necessary for the Fisheries Regulations to be amended to modify certain aspects of the eligibility criteria currently used to assess an application for a licence. These changes will further reduce the restrictions on licensing.
Two other recommendations flowing from the competition review also require changes to be made to the Fisheries Regulations. These are:
∙ Prescribe in the regulations for the appointment of at least one person to the Disease and Pest Control Committee with appropriate experience, expertise and background in fishing or the fishing industry.
∙ Deleting the requirement of a prescribed minimal freezer capacity size for resellers for fish.
The bill and the amended regulations represent a positive response to the recommendations made in the competition review of the act, and provide for the removal of identified anti-competitive restriction. These are statutory measures that are no longer considered appropriate in the administration of modern fisheries and aquatic resources legislation.
It is acknowledged that the current Fisheries Act remains principally a framework for licensing, and has been amended many times to keep pace with changes since its commencement 16 years ago. It is also recognised that the Northern Territory’s statutory approach to regulating these resources needs to focus more on the management and sustainability of the fisheries to meet future challenges.
Madam Speaker, you will recall that during the last sittings I took the opportunity to inform the House that a thorough review of the Fisheries legislation is to be conducted over the next 18 months. Once the review is completed, recommendations for change to the legislation will be proposed and will be brought forward to government for consideration. During the time of the legislative review, consultation will be conducted with all fishery and aquatic resource user groups and other stakeholders to emphasis the Territory-wide nature of the review.
However, these amendments that have been introduced into the House today arise from the competition review of the act. It is necessary for them to be immediately implemented and not wait for the outcomes in 18 months of the proposed wide-ranging legislative review. The immediate priority for the Northern Territory is to meet its obligation under the terms of the National Competition Principles Agreement by implementing those legislative changes recommended in the competition review.
The amendments in this bill will provide administrative efficiencies and greater transparency in the administration of the act that will be to the mutual benefit of fishery and aquatic users and the general community.
I commend the bill to honourable members.
Debate adjourned.
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