Liberal rumours of South Coast Marine Park expansion to Albany labelled as fearmongering by Premier Roger Cook

Political waters are churning in Albany as the Premier categorically denies his party has plans to install a marine park from Bremer Bay to Augusta, lashing the Liberal politicians who have suggested otherwise. Roger Cook criticised Federal Member for O’Connor Rick Wilson on Friday who, together with Liberal candidate for Albany Thomas Brough and shadow environment minister Neil Thomson, hosted a community forum to “fight the south coast fishing bans” on Thursday. Mr Cook said Mr Wilson had received a letter from Minister for the Environment Reece Whitby “categorically and explicitly” stating WA Labor “will not be looking to” implement a marine park in the Albany area. “He’s being dishonest with the people of Albany, he’s trying to spread fear,” he said. Mr Wilson, however, alleges that Mr Whitby has not ruled out extending the fishing exclusion and conservation zones west of the controversial South Coast Marine Park that have kicked up a storm with Esperance fishermen since 2021. “Claiming he has no plans to extend his bans west to encompass the rest of the south coast avoided my direct request to him to rule out any more fishing bans in the next term of government if Labor is re-elected,” he said. “His slipperiness is reminiscent of former premier Mark McGowan who, in Albany ahead of the 2021 State election, pledged no fewer than seven times that axing regional representation in the State’s Upper House was not on his agenda, and we all know what happened there the minute Labor was returned.” The SCMP will span 1100km of southern WA coastline from Bremer Bay to Eucla and will cover more than 1.3 million hectares of water. More than 50 concerned stakeholders attended the community forum held at Albany Boating and Fishing Club to listen to the local Liberals’ concerns on the prospect of Albany being marine parked. Mr Brough said he believes Esperance — via the SCMP — was used as a testing ground before extending the no-take and conservation zones to the 627km coastline between Augusta and Bremer Bay. “(Labor) test these policies where they think they can steamroll people and when they get away with it, they go bigger next time,” he said. “. . . It’s being driven by ideologues, with no real input from the people who fish these waters for a living. “This isn’t about sustainability. This isn’t about conservation. This is about control.” Also in attendance was ex-WA Fishing Industry Council chief executive Darryl Hockey who expressed doubt in the “scientific basis” of the SCMP and warned of a tradition against community consultation in planning processes. In December Mr Whitby said the State government will not expand the SCMP to include “Albany, Denmark, Peaceful Bay, Walpole, Windy Harbour, or Augusta” and dismissed Mr Wilson’s claim as misinformation.