The Australian Greens have today announced they will introduce a private members bill in the Senate to end WA’s shark cull.
“Our Bill ends the exemption to the EPBC Act that has allowed Colin Barnett’s cruel cull to go ahead. It will also prevent the Federal Environment Minister from granting any future exemptions to the Act for the purposes of using drum lines to catch sharks,” Greens Leader Senator Christine Milne said “Exempting the shark cull sets a very dangerous precedent. Past exemptions have only been granted for the purposes of defence, security or a national emergencies, like bushfires or floods, but not for the active culling or killing of a vulnerable species.”
Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens marine spokesperson explained that the Minister’s justification that the cull is in the ‘national interest’, is undermined by the fact that the season for great whites is September to December and They knew the chances of catching these sharks was low, and that other species would be caught.
“A survey commissioned by the Greens has found a total of 57% of respondents support the Federal Minister using his powers to end the cull. 38% of people in the survey strongly agreed with this idea. In a sign this issue crosses party lines, support for this approach is above 60% amongst Labor and National voters, as well as voters in regional WA.” Senator Siewert commented.