ANGLING legend Rex Hunt will be joined on stage by two senior Opposition MPs at a public rally this Sunday to protect the rights of Australia’s recreational fishers.
Shadow Environment Minister Greg Hunt and his colleague Senator Richard Colbeck, the Coalition Fisheries spokesperson, are both expected to make key announcements concerning the Opposition’s position on controversial marine park regulations currently before Parliament.
These regulations effectively “lock” recreational fishers out of more than 1.3 million square kilometres of Australian seas. The new regulations, if approved by Parliament, potentially ban fishing in all land-based National Parks, including iconic fishing spots in Kakadu in the NT, Jervis Bay on the NSW South Coast and in the Snowy Mountains region of southern Australia.
Environment Minister Tony Burke has been invited to attend the rally but has declined the offer.
A Keep Australia Fishing spokesperson said “We are pleased that Mr Hunt and Senator Colbeck will be attending the rally so we can hear what the Coalition might do about the “Biggest Aussie Angler Lockout in History”.
“The Marine Park Regulations are a major concern to Australia’s 5 million recreational fishers. Aussies face increasing job uncertainty, particularly in the Geelong region. Support to families is also decreasing and now the Government wants to take away our family’s rights to go and catch a fish. Enough is enough!”
The rally will be held at Torquay Angling Club, Fisherman’s Beach, Torquay Victoria on Sunday 2 June 2013 at 9.30 am.
Torquay is situated within Australia’s most marginal federal seat, Corangamite. Angling issues are expected to have an influence on election result in this and other key seats following the September 14 federal poll.
