South coast marine park: The people can still stop this

The State election on March 8 is a pivotal opportunity to stop the south coast marine park in its tracks and force the government into genuine consultation, Shadow Minister for the Environment Neil Thomson said today.

Mr Thomson revealed at a Liberals ‘fight the marine park’ forum in Albany on January 23 that there will be an opportunity for the new Legislative Council to disallow the regulations enabling Labor’s controversial south coast marine park.

“It is vital that people vote for the Liberal Party in both the Lower House and the Legislative Council in order for us to have the numbers to pass a new disallowance motion, which could happen in the first week of the newly configured parliament that sits on 27 May 2025,” Mr Thomson said.

All regulations must sit in the parliament for 14 sitting days, and Labor miscalculated when they left their sneaky marine park announcement until the last minute and tabled the regulations in November. This means they would ordinarily allow for another six sitting days between March and May when the new parliament is configured.

This would allow three sitting days in the new parliament to move a further disallowance motion.

Mr Thomson addresses the forum in Albany on January 23.

Mr Thomson urged the people of the south coast to protest the marine park by voting Liberal in the upcoming state election.

“A vote for the Liberals’ Lower House candidates on the south coast - Dr Tom Brough, Wade De Campo and Marie O'Dea - will help to ensure I will become the new environment minister," he said.

“I am committed to reviewing every single marine park decision made by of an arrogant and out-of-touch Labor Government.

“This will ensure WA’s families can continue to enjoy the great outdoors, and the fishing industry can keep supplying their local catch to the people of WA.”

Mr Thomson said that under a Liberal-led State Government there will be no extension of the south coast marine park, in the next electoral term, further west from Labor’s current boundary near Bremer Bay, which would restrict fishers in important fishing areas including Albany, Peaceful Bay, Walpole, Nornalup and Windy Harbour.

Federal Member for O’Connor Rick Wilson MP, whose 1.1 million square kilometre electorate encompasses virtually all of the south coast, said it is realistic that Labor and the Greens will not control the Upper House after the March 8 state election.

“I endorse the strong stance of Mr Thomson, and urge every voter on the south coast to vote Liberal,” he said.

Media contact: Chris Thomson; [email protected]; (08) 9842 2777