MINING magnate Andrew Forrest this week announced a $100 million donation to extend the mission of his Minderoo Foundation to include ocean conservation.
According to an article by Ben O’Shea in The West Australian, the donation puts the Fortescue Metals Group founder on a collision course with the Turnbull Government over proposed changes to the nation’s marine parks.
Earlier this year, Federal Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg said Labor’s draft plan “locked out five million Australian recreational fishers from a vast area of Commonwealth waters without proper consultation”.
“These new plans give greater recognition to the rights of Australians to throw a fishing line off the side of their boat,” Frydenberg said.
“This represents an additional 400,000 square kilometres accessible for recreational fishing compared to the 2012 plans.”
Andrew Forest’s donation could see the government’s sensible marine park plans derailed with the state’s more extreme conservationists lobbying for further marine park lock-outs.
“Minderoo is making this timely commitment to support Australia’s oceans at a moment when we are losing sight of our responsibilities to sustainably manage the vast seas under Australia’s control,” Forrest said
You can read the full story HERE.
