Shark Control Program, Inquiry
1. Mr PERRETT (Gympie—LNP) (10.13 am): I give notice that I will move that the State Development, Natural Resources and Agricultural Industry Development Committee inquire into the Queensland shark control program and report to the Legislative Assembly by 16 May 2019.
2. In conducting the inquiry, the committee should specifically consider: (a) the effectiveness of the existing program, which has been in place since 1962, to protect community safety;
(b) existing locations that are monitored under the program and whether this should be expanded to other key tourism areas like the Whitsundays;
(c) the use of existing equipment, such as nets and drum lines, and consideration of alternative devices to protect human life and other marine life;
(d) research and expert advice into shark population growth and breeding patterns;
(e) resourcing needed to enhance the existing program;
(f) the Palaszczuk government’s response to initial shark attacks in Cid Harbour to install drum lines and the consequent failure to do so after a fatal attack; and
(g) the cause of the reduction in shark numbers caught between 2015-16 and 2018-19 and the impact of this reduction on shark numbers on the Queensland coast.
3. In conducting the inquiry, the committee should have regard to international best practice of mitigating the risk of shark attacks and any previous Queensland coronial investigations or inquiries into shark related fatalities.
4. The committee should also consider the impact of shark attacks on Queensland’s domestic and international tourism reputation, noting that the industry provides almost $13 billion to Queensland’s gross state product and sustains almost 220,000 local jobs.