kc
24-09-2004, 11:43 AM
Too Little Too Late as Howard finally puts fish on the family menu
Howard reacts to vote swing to fishermen - but the $15m deal offered by Howard only equates to two packets of bait per recreational fisherman. Deals with green politics in the past are about to bite the Howard government where it will hurt most - in the polls.
The recreational fishing community of Queensland, while welcoming recent government announcements concerning recreational fishing in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, continues to build momentum and rally the troops as potentially the largest single voting “block” and election “sleeper” in Queenslands senate election.
The Fishing Party (Qld), has been working very effectively through the fishing press, retail tackle and boating trade and via the very efficient “anglers grape vine” to a point where actual membership of the party is already more than more than 1000 and support widespread.
“This is the largest participant sport in Australia with 25% of all Australians going fishing each year”, said spokesperson and senate candidate Kevin Collins. “We have been too quite, and as a result, beaten from pillar to post and ignored by government and the bureaucracies involved with managing the fishery and the rezoning of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and adjoining coastline.
This has effectively banned families from recreational fishing in 30% of the north of the state and was the final straw that got fishers angry enough to put down their fishing rods, lock up their boats and get politically active.”
“Clearly sporting groups in the US has demonstrated that when they can effectively organise themselves into a voting block, Governments finally listen, and while the mainstream press might not be paying much attention to The Fishing Party (Qld) the government certainly is”. “This more than just a protest vote, this is a fight to defend our rights to enjoy a sport and lifestyle that is typically Queensland”. “The dinghy and fishing rod are as iconic to Queenslanders as surfboards to Bondi and the Government badly underestimated both the reaction and numbers involved when they decided to sacrifice us in its quest for green credentials”.
“We have had some major concessions already made in the preference negotiations and all parties are starting to realise that I Fish & I Vote is now more than just a bumper sticker”.
“We care about the environment too, but the greens have gone too far”. “Locking everyday Australians out of our parks and beaches, bans for the sake of bans rather than science and a green party which has influence far beyond its voter support level are all concerns of our party and we will introduce a sensible balance to the political consideration of our sport and lifestyle”. “I fish, my son fishes and I hope, one day my grandkids can too and our actions now are about protecting that right.”
ENDS
Media Enquiries Kevin Collins 0414 785 462 email kc@whitsunday.net.au
Howard reacts to vote swing to fishermen - but the $15m deal offered by Howard only equates to two packets of bait per recreational fisherman. Deals with green politics in the past are about to bite the Howard government where it will hurt most - in the polls.
The recreational fishing community of Queensland, while welcoming recent government announcements concerning recreational fishing in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, continues to build momentum and rally the troops as potentially the largest single voting “block” and election “sleeper” in Queenslands senate election.
The Fishing Party (Qld), has been working very effectively through the fishing press, retail tackle and boating trade and via the very efficient “anglers grape vine” to a point where actual membership of the party is already more than more than 1000 and support widespread.
“This is the largest participant sport in Australia with 25% of all Australians going fishing each year”, said spokesperson and senate candidate Kevin Collins. “We have been too quite, and as a result, beaten from pillar to post and ignored by government and the bureaucracies involved with managing the fishery and the rezoning of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and adjoining coastline.
This has effectively banned families from recreational fishing in 30% of the north of the state and was the final straw that got fishers angry enough to put down their fishing rods, lock up their boats and get politically active.”
“Clearly sporting groups in the US has demonstrated that when they can effectively organise themselves into a voting block, Governments finally listen, and while the mainstream press might not be paying much attention to The Fishing Party (Qld) the government certainly is”. “This more than just a protest vote, this is a fight to defend our rights to enjoy a sport and lifestyle that is typically Queensland”. “The dinghy and fishing rod are as iconic to Queenslanders as surfboards to Bondi and the Government badly underestimated both the reaction and numbers involved when they decided to sacrifice us in its quest for green credentials”.
“We have had some major concessions already made in the preference negotiations and all parties are starting to realise that I Fish & I Vote is now more than just a bumper sticker”.
“We care about the environment too, but the greens have gone too far”. “Locking everyday Australians out of our parks and beaches, bans for the sake of bans rather than science and a green party which has influence far beyond its voter support level are all concerns of our party and we will introduce a sensible balance to the political consideration of our sport and lifestyle”. “I fish, my son fishes and I hope, one day my grandkids can too and our actions now are about protecting that right.”
ENDS
Media Enquiries Kevin Collins 0414 785 462 email kc@whitsunday.net.au