THE LARGEST STEP BACKWARD IN CONSERVATION HISTORY

Tonight without notice the Government brought forward a debate that was not expected to occur for some weeks on the disallowance motions for their marine park cuts.

The disallowance votes were defeated 34-28.

As a result the Government has now locked in the largest removal of area from conservation in history. No government anywhere in the world on land or sea has ever removed this much area from conservation.

There will be many losers as a result of this decision. At a time when ocean health is at critical levels the opportunity to establish resilience in large protected areas is seriously damaged by this decision. Recreational fishers have now lost the largest ‘recreational only’ fishing area in the world and large-scale industrial fishing and supertrawlers have now received a standing invitation from the Australian Government to exploit Australia’s marine life.

It is clear now that the only way to properly protect our oceans is to change the government.

Malcolm Turnbull and Josh Frydenberg will forever now be saddled with the global reputation of having removed more area from conservation than any other people ever.