By Rich Bowden:
The announcement yesterday by Opposition Leader Tony Abbott that a Coalition Government would end the current protection policy of Australia’s waters highlights a lack of leadership over marine parks, according to environment group WWF-Australia.
Mr Abbott has been accused of a populist approach when he announced yesterday that he would suspend key expansions of the Marine Protected Areas program.
A July 27 news release from WWF-Australia claimed Mr Abbott had backtracked significantly since the Howard Government’s marine conservation reform.
“As a member of the Howard Government, Mr Abbott implemented the single largest leap in marine conservation in Australia’s history, protecting one-third of the entire Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area,” said Dr Gilly Llewellyn, WWF-Australia’s Manager of Conservation.
Dr Llewellyn called on the next government to create consensus with science and industry to achieve marine protection aims.
“WWF strongly supports the current Marine Bioregional Planning process as a way to build a strong, resilient network of marine sanctuaries. The next Australian government must work in collaboration with industry, local
communities and marine scientists to ensure that we have healthy seas protected from a range of threats.”
Dr Llewellyn said evidence had pointed to a recovery of fish stocks in the Great Barrier Reef region as evidence that marine sanctuaries work and called on the next federal government to take a “far-sighted” approach to marine protection.
“As global fish stocks decline and we move faster and faster to exploit oil and gas resources in our oceans, we need far sighted leadership that protects our environment, supports local communities and recognises scientific evidence
supporting marine sanctuaries.”
Dr Llewellyn said the Coalition’s policy, “… fails to deliver such leadership.”
While recreational fishing groups have said the decision is a votewinner, Tim Nicholls from the group Save Our Marine Life says there should be more action on marine sanctuaries, not more delays.
“Tony Abbott’s out of touch with voters on this issue,” he said. ”Polling released just last week shows eight in 10 voters actually support increasing marine protection levels from current low levels to much higher levels of marine protection.”
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