Thursday, 15 May 2025

Victorian Fisheries Authority

Sam GROTH (Nepean) (09:39): The Allan Labor government’s reckless decision to slash funding to the Victorian Fisheries Authority by a staggering $9.4 million is nothing short of disgraceful. Their irresponsible budget cuts mean a 50 per cent reduction in frontline fisheries officers, devastating fisheries enforcement across Victoria and leaving just 36 officers statewide to monitor our expansive and precious waterways. On the Mornington Peninsula alone, critical stations in Mornington and Queenscliff face closure, stripping local communities of vital enforcement capabilities.

Port Phillip and Western Port, the busiest fishing regions in our state, will see patrols decimated, with enforcement staff reduced from 27 to just nine officers. We will lose over 600 years of experience. Such drastic cuts effectively roll out the red carpet for illegal fishing and poaching, threatening sustainability, safety, research and local economies heavily dependent on recreational fishing and tourism. Marine parks, already suffering from over 50 per cent noncompliance in some cases, will be left even more vulnerable, risking irreversible damage to Victoria’s delicate marine ecosystems.

Local anglers and the commercial fishing industry, who contribute significantly through licence fees, feel rightly betrayed by this government. The Victorian opposition, in strong support of our fishing communities and environmental protections, has today tabled a petition with over 21,000 Victorians demanding these catastrophic cuts be reversed immediately. The Allan Labor government needs to start listening to Victorians.