Demersal fishing ban
731. Mrs Kirrilee Warr to the Premier:
I refer to a letter issued yesterday by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development to commercial fishers affected by the government's commercial fishing closures, which directs them to mental health crisis services including Lifeline, Beyond Blue and Stay Afloat.
(1) How can the Premier claim that these closures are merely inconvenient when his department is providing crisis support hotline numbers to people whose livelihoods he has just shut down?
(2) Is the Premier aware that federal funding for Stay Afloat ended on 30 September 2025, that the program no longer operates in WA and that his department's letter directs fishers to a helpline service that does not exist?
Several members interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr Roger Cook replied:
(1)–(2) I thank the member for the question. It gives me another opportunity to remind Western Australians that this government is making tough decisions to stand up for future generations of fishers, ensuring that our demersal fish stocks are protected and that we can continue to fish sustainably into the future. Of course, we understand that this is impactful. We understand that this decision is disappointing and inconvenient for some. It will be devastating—
Several members interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Several members interjected.
The Speaker: Members of the opposition!
Mr Roger Cook: It will be inconvenient for some and devastating for others and, as a result, we are doing everything we can to work with the industry as we—
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt, I call you for the second time for disorderly interjections.
Mr Roger Cook: We are continuing to work with the industry, as we have all along, to ensure that we come up with a solution for the protection of our demersal fish stocks. That includes continuing to make sure that the West Coast region will ultimately be only for recreational fishers after a 21-month suspension, making sure that we create a more sustainable Pilbara fisheries with the withdrawal of trawling licences and continuing to make sure that people can fish in regions such as the Gascoyne and the South Coast where there are greater fish stocks while limiting bag takes and catches to ensure that it becomes more sustainable. We understand that this has had a heavy impact. DPIRD, in relation to that ongoing work, wrote a letter and it referred them to, amongst—
Mrs Kirrilee Warr interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Geraldton!
Mr Roger Cook: DPIRD wrote a letter to stakeholders in relation to a number of support organisations.
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt!
Mr Roger Cook: It is true that Stay Afloat suspended its services due to a Commonwealth government funding decision. That is obviously regrettable, but it is good that DPIRD also referred to other services that can support people as they deal with these important decisions. I stress that we understand that this was a tough decision. It was a tough and hard decision, but it is the decision that we have made on behalf of future generations of fishers to ensure that we have a more sustainable approach to our demersal fish stocks.
732. Mrs Kirrilee Warr to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. Will the Premier apologise to impacted fishing families for issuing inaccurate, outdated mental health information at a time of extreme distress?
Mr Roger Cook replied:
I have already apologised to all the stakeholders for making this tough decision, which we have made on behalf of future generations of fishers.
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt!
Mr Roger Cook: We want people to be able to enjoy fishing the same way that our parents and grandparents did. We want our grandkids to be able to enjoy that opportunity as well, but we have to make the tough decisions now for the future generations of fishers.
The Speaker: That concludes question time.
