[Greens-Media] Shark protestors take to steps of Parliament

[Walker, Nadine]

Shark protestors take to steps of Parliament 
Media statement, Monday 17 February 2014. 

Outrage towards the continuing drum-line program will be expressed on the steps of Parliament tomorrow as MPs returns for the first sitting since the controversial shark strategy was implemented. WA Greens MLC Lynn MacLaren says that the WA Government's shark mitigation strategy has failed. 

"What are the drum lines doing to protect people from great white sharks, which have been implicated in all recent WA shark deaths, given the overwhelming catch to date is undersized tiger sharks?

"I think it has dawned on everyone that the Barnett Government's catch and kill policy is a complete mismatch of supposed solution to actual problem.

"The main outcome of the drum lines is a justified unease amongst water users about whether the captured small tiger sharks struggling on the drum lines are attracting much bigger dangerous sharks close to our beaches.

"I urge people to respond to the WA Environmental Protection Authority's call for public comment on this issue, before the closing date of 20 February. Go to https://consultation.epa.wa.gov.au/seven-day-comment-on-referrals/shark-drum-line-deployment-management/consult_view  and complete the online survey by Thursday 20 February." 

Ms MacLaren  will speak to an estimated 500 protestors alongside:
Sharon Burden - (Mother of Kyle Burden, tragically taken by a Great White in 2009 at Bunker Bay)
Donna Martin - Marine Scientist 
Ross Weir - Founder of West Australians for Shark Conservation
Jeff Hansen - Managing Director of Sea Shepherd 
Patrick Pearlman - Principal Solicitor for the Environmental Defender's Office and
Mark McGowan - WA Labor Party leader. 

For comment: Hon Lynn MacLaren MLC
Mobile 0403 721 951

Media liaison: Nadine Walker
Mobile 0449 189 195

Office of Hon Lynn MacLaren MLC, Member for South Metropolitan Region
Legislative Council, Parliament of Western Australia
Unit 7, 142 South Terrace, Fremantle, Western Australia 6160
Tel 08 9430 7233
www.LynnMacLaren.org.au