Labor’s super trawler Bill is a slippery red herring

Greens Fisheries spokesperson, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson today spoke in the Senate on Labor’s Bill to supposedly ban super trawlers, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment Bill 2014.

Senator Whish-Wilson said, “Labor’s Bill doesn’t ban super trawlers at all; it actually allows Ministers to permit them.

“The Greens have tabled an amendment that would ban super trawlers and if Labor was serious about banning them they would support us.

“Throughout many years of this debate only the Greens have held the consistent view that destructive super trawlers have no place in our waters. Today’s debate revealed that we are back to square one.

“Labor and Liberal have form on this issue of using weasel words and telling one part of the community one thing, and other parts of the community another.

“It is pressure from the Greens, recreational fishers and conservation groups over the super trawler that has led to improvements in fisheries science,” he concluded.

You can watch Senator Whish-Wilson speak on the Bill here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXQ5f2r5-Gw&feature=youtu.be
Greens Fisheries spokesperson, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson