5887 Urgtelatuwo Aeevmbtg Tuesday, 17 November 1987 THE SPEAKER (Mr Barnett) took the Chair at 2. 15 pm, and read prayers. FORESTS Preservation:Petition DR LAWRENCE (Subiaco) [2.16 pm]: I have a petition couched in the following terms -- We, the undersigned, support: 1. Greater Government efforts to protect Western Australia's mature native forest heritage. The SPEAKER: Order! I do not know whether members have noticed it or not, but at the commencement of sittings it is particularly difficult to hear members in respect of the delivery of petitions and often in respect of notices and the next sets of events that happen. I wonder if we could have a little less background conversation and a little more volume from the members who are making the delivery so that our guests can also hear and understand what is going on. Dr LAWRENCE: The petition continues -- 2. An expanded National Park and Nature Reserve system to include all CALM's proposed reserves with additional areas in the wandoo, southern jarrah and karri forests. 3. An independent inquiry into Western Australia's woodchip/tirnber industries and forest management. 4. Restructuring of Western Australia's woodchip industry so that it only uses sawmill residues and resources from plantations established on already cleared land. Your petitioners, therefore, humbly pray that you will give this manoer your earnest attention and your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray. The petition bears 3 664 signatures and I certify that it conforms to the Standing Orders of the Legislative Assembly. The SPEAKER: I direct that the petition be brought to the Table of the House. (See petition No 82.) VIDEO TAPES CLASSIFICATION AND CONTROL BILL Amendment: Petition MR TRiENORDEN (Avon) [2.19 pm]: I have a petition stated in the following terms -- To the Honourable the Speaker, and members of the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of Western Australia assembled. We, the undersigned, request that Parliament amend the video Bill to grant the people legal standing, and power of appeal, and review, so that we can have a ban placed on those unconscionable videotapes which we find are beyond the pale, and which are severely damaging the social environment. We request that Parliament carry out its promise to make possession of child pornography a criminal offence, and set severe penalties for the possession of child pornography, bestiality, terrorism, drug promotion, rape and incest tapes; We request that Parliament legislate that R tapes in shops be displayed separate and away from minors. We request that Parliament legislate to make videotapes be so labelled that parents can be warned of the contents in regard to sex, language and violence. 5888 [ASSEMBLY] Because we no longer will allow the money-makers to have sole right to determine what is available, we wish to have equal input into decision-making1 gain equal opportunity for concerned parents to have the power also to appeal, and to ban and remove those unconscionable videotapes which breed crime, jointly with the power to give pastoral care to our social environment, because we know that children who are carefully supervised to prevent access to such horrendous viewing, may still become the victims of those who are not. Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that you will give this matter earnest consideration, and your petitioners, as in duty bound, shall ever pray.- The petition bears 42 signatures and I certify that it conforms to the Standing Orders of the Legislative Assembly. The SPEAKER: I direct that the petition be brought to the Table of the House. (See petition No 83.) FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION AND AUDIT ACT Report Tabling: Extension of Time THE SPEAKER: I have been informed of the following ministerial approval for an extension of time for the presentation of annual reports in accordance with the Financial Administration and Audit Act 1985 - The Minister for Education - Annual report of the Western Australian College of Advanced Educationfor 18987. I table the relevant correspondence. (See paper No 467.) LOCAL GOVERNMENT AMENDMENT BILL (No 2) Introduction and First Reading Bill introduced, on motion by Mr Cart (Minister for Local Government), and read a first time. BREAD AMENDMENT BILL Report Report of Committee adopted. Third Reading Leave granted to proceed forthwith to the third reading. Bill read a third time, on motion by Mr Peter Dowding (Minister for Labour, Productivity and Employment), and transmitted to the Council. ACTS AMENDMENT AND REPEAL (GAMING) BILL Report Report of Committee adopted. Third Reading Leave granted to proceed forthwith to the third reading. Bill read a third timne, on motion by Mrs. Beggs (Minister for Racing and Gaming), and transmidtted to the Council. [Tuesday, 17 November 1987J]88 5889 FISHERIES AMENDMENT BILL (No 2) Second Reading MR GRILL (Esperance-Dundas -- Minister for Fisheries) [2.29 pm]: I move -- That the Bill be now read a second time. This Bill is to amend the Fisheries Act to -- 1. enable implementation of the recommendations of the Eish Fanning Legislative Review Committee; 2. increase the penalty for taking rock lobster our of season and to provide the same penalties as those applicable to rock lobster for -- (a) taking undersized abalone and marron; (b) taking marron in spawn; and (c) taking abalone or matron out of season; 3. amend section 32 to -- (a) close a "loophole" in relation to the taking of fish from a limited entry fishery; (b) permit the court, where a person not authorised to operate in a limited entry fishery is convicted of an offence, to order forfeiture of a boat, gear, and equipment used in the commission of the offence; 4. provide a regulation-making power to impose a fee for transfer of a fishing boat licence and the replacement of a fishing boat; 5. "tidy up" two other sections -- 12A and 24A. Since 1974 there has been a marked increase in fish fanning, or, as it is more commonly known, aquaculture. The Fisheries Act was amended in 1974 by including part V which relates to fish fanning. The inclusion of part V was as a result of the development of aquaculture of matron. Later developments have seen the introduction of aquaculture proposals in relation to prawns, oysters, mussels, Atlantic salmon, barramundi, and other species. In particular, the growth of the matron aquaculture industry has been curtailed during the past decade because of the legal constraints on the sale of matron to the Western Australian market and food outlets. Matron is the basis of a very popular recreational fishery throughout the south west of the State. About 25 000 recreational marron licences are taken out annually for the purpose of fishing for matron in streams and irrigation dams. The legal minimum size is 76 millimetres carapace length, or about 120 gram weight animnal. Matron is not found outside Western Australia in natural conditions. As mentioned earlier, the Fisheries Act was amended in 1974 to allow matron to be used for aquacuirure. This allowed matron to be sold for the first time, provided they grew on a fish farm, but the legal minimum size of 76 nun was maintained for animals sold in Western Australia. This meant that there was a reduced likelihood of illegal operators fishing the wild stock for sale. The aquaculture industry has now shown that the marron industry in Western Australia is unlikely to prove commercially viable unless matron farners are pernnitted to harvest from their farms all sizes of matron, most of which will be less than the minimum legal length. Other States, especially Queensland, are also developing an aquaculture industry based on marron, but matron farmers in those States are nor constrained by a legal size limit because matron do not occur in the streams and therefore are not part of the recreational fishery. Because of the imiportance to Western Australia of the matron recreational fishery, a review committee was established to consider many aspects of matron aquaculture, including the major matter of the sale of small matron. The committee released a report for public comment; and following receipt and examination of those commuents, finalised its recommendations to me. The review committee reported as follows on the sale of small matron - 5890 [ASSEhOLY] That Government provide for the marketing of matron less than 120 gin for sale to licensed processing establishments (e.g. restaurants). This recommendation was strongly supported by the committee and public submissions. It is realised that unless matron farmers are allowed to harvest all sizes of marron, aquaculture of matron in Western Australia is unlikely to prove commercially viable. Marron is one of the largest freshwater cmustaceans in the world. The present matron farmers are selling matron both in other States and to other nations. One of the areas of greatest interest expressed by the recent fisheries delegation from China was thar relating to the supply of marron and its possible aquaculture in that country. Marron will be used for aquaculture, and Western Australia should be at the forefront of the matron aquaculture industry. To do tis it will be necessary for the marron farmers to have the ability to sell small matron to specific classes of people such as restaurants licensed to sell farm fish and licensed fish farmers for stocking purposes. There will be criticism of these proposals. The sale value of matron is high, and thus complaints of illegal capture and sale are sure to be voiced. Regulatory procedures are being developed to counter the mlegal use of matron from the wild stocks. This will be mostly by way of a strict paper audit and licensing controls supported by field investigations. While I have addressed my remarks primarily to the matron aquaculture industry, the proposed changes to the legislation will enable the development of aquaculture for other species mentioned in my opening remarks.