[Greens-Media] Greens welcome fresh funding for invaluable Shark Monitoring Network

[Morton, Arran]

Media release Monday 9 May 2016

Greens MLC Lynn MacLaren has applauded the Government's announcement today that it will allocate $1.54 million in the State budget to its 'early warning system' Shark Monitoring Network. 

"I'm relieved the Barnett Government has not repeated the mistake it made in 2015 when it cut funding to this very valuable program," Ms MacLaren said.

"The Greens have been saying all along that the SMN provides the best system we have for detecting real shark threats because only sharks big enough to bite a human are tagged and, when a tagged shark is detect, we immediately know the species and size.

"The Barnett Government wasted millions of taxpayers' dollars on that pointless attempt with the drum lines two years ago and previous cuts to the Fisheries budget was completely undermining our world-class research into sharks.

"I'm pleased this time around it appears to have thought it through and will now take the sensible approach."


Arran Morton
Electorate Officer
P/T: Monday, Wednesday & Thursday
arran.morton at mp.wa.gov.au
 
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: +61.8.9430 7233
Fax: +61.8.9430 7207