Rudd’s Border Security Crisis Leaves Fisheries Unprotected

Prime Minister Rudd’s ongoing border protection crisis is having the effect of providing greater opportunities to illegal international fisheries poachers.

One of Australia’s key fisheries protection ships, the Oceanic Viking, has been unable to carry out its fisheries protection duties for at almost two weeks due to it becoming a home for unauthorised arrivals.

It is unknown when the ship of fisheries officers will be able to return to normal duties of monitoring Australia’s fisheries, the Coalition spokesman for Fisheries, Senator Richard Colbeck said.

“The Rudd Government’s complete failure to stem the tide of unauthorised arrivals is having a significant effect on the ability to protect Australia’s fishing resources,”

“Instead, the Oceanic Viking seems to be under orders to rescue the Prime Minister’s flawed unauthorised arrivals policy.

“Australian Fisheries Management Authority officers, who are normally assigned to the ship, clearly cannot undertake their normal duties when 78 unauthorised arrivals are on the ship which has been floating around looking for a place to port and drop off its passengers.

“The Rudd Government must explain when the Oceanic Viking will be able to return to its important duties of protecting Australia’s fisheries and apprehending illegal international fishing poachers.

“By failing to protect Australia’s fisheries, the Rudd Government puts at risk the livelihoods of fishing businesses and their employees, not to mention the many Australian communities economically reliant on their fishing fleets.

“Only yesterday, the Fisheries Minister Tony Burke confirmed the worst for the fishing industry stating there would be a 25% cut to Australia’s Southern Bluefin Tuna quota leaving the Port Lincoln community in great fear about massive job losses.

“It is completely unacceptable that this Federal Labor Government continues to make decisions which contribute to the downfall of Australia’s fishing sector.”
SENATOR THE HON RICHARD COLBECK Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry