The front page of Mr Szulc’s petition to the WA Parliament.
The WA Government has rejected Munglinup farmer Max Szulc’s petition to halt the proposed South Coast Marine park.
Colin de Grussa MLC tabled the petition on behalf of Mr Szulc and more than 6000 people who signed it.
“Community and key stakeholder input into marine park planning processes is critical to ensure effective and efficient design which meets ecological and cultural objectives, minimises unnecessary impacts to resource users, and provides an overall benefit to community livelihoods,” he wrote in his submission to Parliament.
“It is my contention, along with the many Western Australians who have chosen to sign this petition, that the Western Australian Government has failed to undertake the necessary research and analysis required to comply with the intent of the CALM Act and State Government policy framework.”
WA Environment minister Reece Whitby wrote back saying the planning process for the SCMP had fully met the statutory process required for the creation of a new reserve under the Conservation and Land Management Act 1984 (CALM Act).
“There is no statutory basis on which to halt the progression of the marine park,” he wrote.
“The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) implemented a thorough planning process that exceeded the requirements of the CALM Act and increased the length of the public submission period to four months rather than the three months prescribed by the CALM Act.
“The level of consultation during the public submission period was the most
extensive ever undertaken for a marine park in Western Australia.”
Mr Szulc said Mr Whitby’s reply was “expected but had a lot of holes” in it and he intended request an injunction from the Supreme Court to stop the park.
“The biggest issue is that it will be unlawful for the State Government to implement a Marine Park because it is a common law right for recreational fishers in Western Australia enshrined in the CALM Act,” he said.
“That is the same argument I am using in my Supreme Court application for an injunction to stop the Marine Park.”
Rick Wilson MHR has been circulating a similar petition to the WA Parliament.
