In a recent parliamentary speech, the Independent Member for Noosa Sandy Bolton MP asked the Queensland Government to listen to the community and work towards trialling a replacement of shark nets with safe alternative measures during the whale migration season in Noosa.
This followed 11 whale entanglements along the Queensland coastline, with two occurring in the Noosa Main Beach shark nets, and a meeting of Oceans for All, where a majority of the business, environment, and water-user groups in attendance voted to support the proposed trial, including Noosa Council and Tourism Noosa.
“Questions from our community are many and include why net alternatives being used successfully elsewhere are not being made available to community requests,” Ms Bolton said.
In her speech, the Noosa MP raised evidence, including a Federal Court determination in 2019 and an extensive review during an Administrative Appeals Tribunal case against the Queensland Government that reported lethal components of the Shark Control Program did not reduce the risk of unprovoked shark interactions.
Research from the University of Wollongong, which indicated that shark nets do not keep swimmers safer, was also put forward, as were reports that since 2006 there have been three fatal shark bites at Queensland beaches where lethal drumlines and nets were in place.
“Government so far has disregarded the recommendations from the KPMG report to transition away from nets, as well calls from Noosa Council and residents who voted over 70 per cent for a trial of nonlethal shark control measures,” she said.
“Given that the government has said it will work with local governments, not against as committed to during the elections, it is important that this be demonstrated by them working with Noosa Council and our community to replace those nets with a trial of safe alternatives used in other locations during whale migration season.”
“In addition, they seek a CSIRO report on whether nets with trapped bycatch are attracting sharks as early evidence is indicating, thereby increasing the volume of sharks and danger,” Ms Bolton said.
Updates on many local matters Sandy is working on are available at www.SandyBolton.com/Noosa360. To receive information straight to your email inbox, please consider subscribing to her monthly newsletter via www.SandyBolton.com/Newsletters which also ensures that you receive any Noosa electorate polls or surveys.
