Mr MILLS - 2010-10-20
At AFANT’s annual meeting in March 2009, you were asked quite specifically whether your government planned to introduce boating registration in the Northern Territory. You replied that your government had, ‘no intention of introducing boating permits’. Can you explain to the House why you misled AFANT and, given that you had made them a cast-iron commitment, why did you not tell them you had changed your mind?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the clear difference between the government and the opposition in regard to the High Court finding on Blue Mud Bay is that I am negotiating to secure an agreement with the appropriate land councils for guaranteed access without the need for a permit for recreational fishers. That is our policy; that is what we are negotiating.
The CLP policy is to ensure that every recreational fisher would need a permit.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr HENDERSON: Their policy is to ensure recreational fishers must have a permit to go fishing. Their policy says they would seek to legislate a way around this, they would have further challenges in the courts, and guess what, the first thing the traditional owners would do, as is their right, would be to require permits. That is the difference between us and the CLP.
The CLP would ensure we have permits …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order! Member for Braitling!
Mr HENDERSON: The government is seeking to negotiate an agreement. No final decisions have been made on this matter. We are negotiating in good faith. The minister for Fisheries and I met with AFANT a couple of weeks ago to work a way forward on this issue. They are supportive of the government seeking to negotiate an agreement. What I can say very clearly is that we are looking at boat identification, not registration …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order! Member for Braitling!
Mr HENDERSON: We are seeking to negotiate an agreement. The opposition would seek to go back to court and legislate. That would guarantee every recreational fisherman in the Northern Territory would need a permit under the CLP. That is their policy. We will negotiate.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the clear difference between the government and the opposition in regard to the High Court finding on Blue Mud Bay is that I am negotiating to secure an agreement with the appropriate land councils for guaranteed access without the need for a permit for recreational fishers. That is our policy; that is what we are negotiating.
The CLP policy is to ensure that every recreational fisher would need a permit.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr HENDERSON: Their policy is to ensure recreational fishers must have a permit to go fishing. Their policy says they would seek to legislate a way around this, they would have further challenges in the courts, and guess what, the first thing the traditional owners would do, as is their right, would be to require permits. That is the difference between us and the CLP.
The CLP would ensure we have permits …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order! Member for Braitling!
Mr HENDERSON: The government is seeking to negotiate an agreement. No final decisions have been made on this matter. We are negotiating in good faith. The minister for Fisheries and I met with AFANT a couple of weeks ago to work a way forward on this issue. They are supportive of the government seeking to negotiate an agreement. What I can say very clearly is that we are looking at boat identification, not registration …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order! Member for Braitling!
Mr HENDERSON: We are seeking to negotiate an agreement. The opposition would seek to go back to court and legislate. That would guarantee every recreational fisherman in the Northern Territory would need a permit under the CLP. That is their policy. We will negotiate.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016