Hawkesbury Marine Park Proposal Update

Hi everyone,

I don't want to get too political on this blog, but after all if we dont try to educate now, chances are i will have nothing to write about later...if they lock us out of our fishing spots.

An email circulated last week, one which i posted a copy of here on this blog, to contact the premier and carmel tebbut to voice your disapproval of the marine park proposal for the hakesbury bio-region. I also took it upon my own to email Clover Moore, the sydney mayor, who is supporting the proposal with very strong language and a heap of gusto.

I emailed clover to ask where she got the quotes she was using as she didnt reference them on her website where they were published. Admittedly i didnt expect a response from her. I was delighted this morning to find in my inbox a response to my email. It read;

Dear sender

I refer to your email about my support for a marine park for Sydney.

I have supported establishment of a marine park following extensive consultation with community groups, stakeholders and scientific experts to ensure that protection is achieved. The proposal would include a number of different management zones and only the areas declared sanctuaries would totally ban any extraction of sea life.

I share widespread community concern that the Government should protect marine ecosystems, including addressing damage caused by urban development, agriculture, pollution, climate change and other major threats. While marine parks can play a vital role in protecting marine biodiversity, I believe that a multifaceted response to all threats is the best way to ensure the long-term sustainability of our waters.

You may wish to contact your local MP to express your views about this matter.

like all politicians the response answered nothing and in a long winded way only highlighted how deficient clover's knowledge is of the current state of our fisheries. I like how she stated in her response "I have supported establishment of a marine park following extensive consultation with community groups, stakeholders and scientific experts". What a complete load of crap. The only consultation clover has had has not been with community groups or scientists, but rather with the EPA to get herself well versed in the rhetoric needed to run a campaign like this....complete bullshit.

Anyway. I emplore all readers of this blog to send clover moore an email requesting her to identify where her quotes are sourced from and what scientific studies, relevant to sydney waterways, she is referring to. I'm curious to know if she knows who she is quoting. My fear is she has no bloody idea.

Clover Moore [Clover.Moore@parliament.nsw.gov.au]