Media Release

KAP Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter has welcomed the passage of laws to stop the sell-off of Australia’s biggest fishing operation to overseas interests, just days after he joined protesters in Canberra rallying against the closure of our under-utilised northern waters to Aussie operators.

"In a week where we fought tenaciously against massive closures in the Gulf of Carpentaria and Coral Sea

1, the last thing in the world I would do is advocate for more fishing closures," said Mr Katter following his vote last night for legislation to restrict the largest super trawler in Australian waters.

"But we’ve just sold one of the nation’s biggest farms to overseas interests, and now we’re going to sell what we’re told is the biggest fishing operation of its kind in Australia to overseas interests too? I mean, give me a break."

Following several days of intense consultation and negotiations about the controversial legislation, Mr Katter said it had been difficult to ascertain the level of foreign ownership in an environment of political manoeuvrings and smokescreens.

"We don’t want to claim credit for the amendments to the laws that protected recreational fishers or restrained excessive powers, but we thank very much the people who brought those problems to us – particularly the rec fishers and some of the commercial fishermen – for their advice," he said.

"Even though we are adamantly opposed to the closure of our oceans – which have arguably the greatest food production resource on the globe yet account for the world’s lowest seafood rate – are we going to stand by and watch, in a fortnight, our biggest farms and fishing resources sold offshore?

"People will be shaking their heads wondering what on Earth our politicians are for."

1 under the proposed Commonwealth Marine Reserve Networks