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Derek_Bullock
22-01-2006, 05:08 PM
Senator Nigel Scullion is tipped to be the new Federal Fisheries Minister. Below is a quote from his first speach in Parliament. Note that he is a conservationist

Not looking good for recreational fishing.


Derek



Darwin has to be the true cosmopolitan capital of the world. We have people from half the nations in the world represented in our population, and the other half wants to move there. It is the friendliest place in the world—the kind of place where you can leave the airport, jump in a cab, drive to one of our many watering holes and sit down and have a beer, and within an hour you will be sharing a table with a whole range of new mates. It is just that sort of place. So I had this vision of sitting on a vessel surrounded by perfect balmy weather and swaying palm trees, catching barramundi and getting paid for it. I thought: that seems to be a great way of life. A professional fisherman—that's the life for me, I thought. Well, the vision was soon shattered. As anyone who has made a living from the sea will attest, success is usually about very hard work, a few tears and a fair bit of luck.

There were pretty significant downsides to living off north-east Arnhem Land: the harshness of the environment, the unforgiving nature of the sea. Challenges ranged from the unpredictable—like being grovelled by a wounded buffalo when attempting to put some meat into an otherwise all-seafood diet—to the more predictable—like cyclones, and trying to resolve fights with your missus in the confines of a 40-foot vessel. I must say the downsides were substantially outweighed by the upsides: the unlimited pleasures of waking up each day in one of the most beautiful, pristine and remote areas of Australia. Imagine it, if you can: emerald-coloured rainforests that come down to a crystal clear, cobalt sea. It is just a glorious place to work and a glorious place to live.

As a conservationist and a fisherman, I have developed and maintained a keen interest in the use and control of our natural resources. I am the immediate past chairman of the Australian Seafood Industry Council, one of the largest conservation groups in Australia, the work of which I have no doubt is well known to the members of the chamber. I can remember—as perhaps many other people in the chamber will—that, as a young bloke, `environmentally friendly' meant putting the cigarette butt out in the beer can before you threw it out of the window. In the past, we had followed what we considered to be the world's `best practice'. We were encouraged to cut down those `ugly' native trees and we were encouraged to plant wheat and other European crops. We treated fisheries as if they were a danger to swimming. `Bigger vessels, more capacity!' cried the experts.

Australia now understands that the worst aspects of environmental degradation in this country, evidenced by dryland salinity, degraded rivers, depleted fish stocks and a net loss to our biodiversity, are the result of our own historical world's best practice. I have noticed with growing concern the call for primary producers to stop these practices overnight—`Fisherfolk, lay down your lines!'; `Irrigators, just give up your water quota!'; `Graziers, clear no more land!'— without consideration for compensation. If we ask the food producers of Australia to repair 50 years of our bad management and our bad advice without adjustment packages, and that means compensation, then we are asking for the job not to be done.

BAIT_MAN
22-01-2006, 05:17 PM
Here we go again. What is next.

Gazza
22-01-2006, 05:39 PM
I have noticed with growing concern the call for primary producers to stop these practices overnight—`Fisherfolk, lay down your lines!'; `Irrigators, just give up your water quota!'; `Graziers, clear no more land!'— without consideration for compensation.

IF he has the job , the VALUE-ADDED RecFishing Industry, should be pointed out, provide max.$$$ for minimal resource usage.
QLD - 8100 Tonnes.......miniscule in the scheme-of-things 8-)
QLD - $320M
QLD - $40/kg.

kc
22-01-2006, 08:36 PM
Don't know where you got your "mail" but I personally doubt this appointment. Nigel is NOT a Liberal man. He is NT Country Liberal Party and sits, effectively on the crossbenches.

That said, he is an ex commercial fisherman, keen recreational fisherman and someone we already work with extensively....at least, compared to McDonald (waste of space) he actuallly knows what a fish looks like and more importantly has first hand experience of the shift in "resource allocation" which has occurred in NT.....towards recreational fishing!!

If Senator Scullion get the nod (100 to 1) I would welcome his appointment...this is a REAL guy...not a product of the educated elite.

I may end up eating my words....woudn't be the first time......., but so far, my dealings with Nigel have been encouraging.

KC
TFPQ

Derek_Bullock
22-01-2006, 08:47 PM
Don't know where you got your "mail" but I personally doubt this appointment. Nigel is NOT a Liberal man. He is NT Country Liberal Party and sits, effectively on the crossbenches.

That said, he is an ex commercial fisherman, keen recreational fisherman and someone we already work with extensively....at least, compared to McDonald (waste of space) he actuallly knows what a fish looks like and more importantly has first hand experience of the shift in "resource allocation" which has occurred in NT.....towards recreational fishing!!

If Senator Scullion get the nod (100 to 1) I would welcome his appointment...this is a REAL guy...not a product of the educated elite.

I may end up eating my words....woudn't be the first time......., but so far, my dealings with Nigel have been encouraging.

KC
TFPQ

Was in the news Kevin.


Derek

kc
23-01-2006, 07:38 AM
Interesting. Heard the news about McDonald but not Scullion....will be following up today...hope its right.

KC

Gazza
23-01-2006, 09:48 AM
That said, he is an ex commercial fisherman, keen recreational fisherman and someone we already work with extensively....at least, compared to McDonald (waste of space) he actuallly knows what a fish looks like and more importantly has first hand experience of the shift in "resource allocation" which has occurred in NT.....towards recreational fishing!!

If Senator Scullion get the nod (100 to 1) I would welcome his appointment...this is a REAL guy...not a product of the educated elite.

Hi Mate ,pick up the phone......try our prime miniature first 8-)
Change the odds...... TFP supports Mr. S due to (blah,blah,blah)
Maybe have a yabber to a newspaper or radio station ,and tell 'em the same thing..... ;)

I'm sure, Mr.S would appreciate the "support" regardless of appointment!!
Johnny How-hard would know.....err.....eventually!!

TFP would not put anybody off-side ,and IF a newby-no-nothing is given the nod i.e. not Mr.S ,they may tread a little more wearily 8-)

JMO..... don't accept an offering, without "asking" for WHO we want.
Hope to be wrong ,but turnbull is megabucks and arrogant, so fits the profile ,maybe he'll reject it, as too 'lowly'......never know ::)

gif
23-01-2006, 08:31 PM
The National s and Libs merged in the NT

Senator Scullion sits with the Nats in the Senate

His opposite in the lower house sits with the Liberals


I don’t know who stared the rumour he was to get fishing - so it could be just mischief at this stage. We will all know in 48 hours or so.

Gary