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Hansard
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- MINISTER FOR EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND TRAINING
- ASBESTOS-RELATED CLAIMS (MANAGEMENT OF COMMONWEALTH LIABILITIES) BILL 2005
- ASBESTOS-RELATED CLAIMS (MANAGEMENT OF COMMONWEALTH LIABILITIES) (CONSEQUENTIAL AND TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS) BILL 2005
- INDIGENOUS EDUCATION (TARGETED ASSISTANCE) AMENDMENT BILL 2005
- MARITIME TRANSPORT SECURITY AMENDMENT BILL 2005
- TAX LAWS AMENDMENT (PERSONAL INCOME TAX REDUCTION) BILL 2005
- PERSONAL EXPLANATIONS
- TAX LAWS AMENDMENT (PERSONAL INCOME TAX REDUCTION) BILL 2005
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QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
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Flagpoles for Schools
(Edwards, Graham, MP, Nelson, Dr Brendan, MP) -
Pacific Nations: Security
(Turnbull, Malcolm, MP, Downer, Alexander, MP) -
Children in Detention
(Beazley, Kim, MP, Howard, John, MP) -
Economy
(Somlyay, Alex, MP, Costello, Peter, MP) -
Immigration
(Ferguson, Laurie, MP, Howard, John, MP) -
Budget 2005-06
(Baker, Mark, MP, Costello, Peter, MP) -
Immigration Detention
(Beazley, Kim, MP, Howard, John, MP) -
Vocational Education and Trainingi
(Vasta, Ross, MP, Howard, John, MP) -
Immigration
(Beazley, Kim, MP, Howard, John, MP) -
Workplace Relations
(Barresi, Phillip, MP, Andrews, Kevin, MP) -
Inspector of Transport Security
(Beazley, Kim, MP, Anderson, John, MP) -
Economy
(Jensen, Dennis, MP, Vaile, Mark, MP) -
Inspector of Transport Security
(Beazley, Kim, MP, Anderson, John, MP) -
Medicare
(Richardson, Kym, MP, Abbott, Tony, MP) -
Inspector of Transport Security
(Beazley, Kim, MP, Anderson, John, MP) -
Domestic Violence
(Scott, Bruce, MP, Ruddock, Philip, MP) -
HIH Insurance
(Andren, Peter, MP, Brough, Mal, MP) -
Superannuation
(Broadbent, Russell, MP, Brough, Mal, MP) -
Defence Equipment
(McClelland, Robert, MP, Downer, Alexander, MP) -
Aged Care
(Markus, Louise, MP, Bishop, Julie, MP)
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Flagpoles for Schools
- MS CHRISTINE JACOBS
- PERSONAL EXPLANATIONS
- QUESTIONS TO THE SPEAKER
- CHAMBER MICROPHONES
- AUDITOR-GENERAL’S REPORTS
- DOCUMENTS
- MATTERS OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE
- PERSONAL EXPLANATIONS
- PRIMARY INDUSTRIES (EXCISE) LEVIES AMENDMENT (RICE) BILL 2005
- HEALTH LEGISLATION AMENDMENT (AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY PHARMACY AUTHORITY) BILL 2005
- COMMITTEES
- TAX LAWS AMENDMENT (PERSONAL INCOME TAX REDUCTION) BILL 2005
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SUPERANNUATION BILL 2005
SUPERANNUATION (CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS) BILL 2005 - ADJOURNMENT
- Adjournment
- NOTICES
- Main Committee
- QUESTIONS IN WRITING
Page: 153
Mrs GASH (9:43 AM)
—I received a letter the other day from one of the younger members of my electorate. Jasmyn Newton, nine years old, of Tomerong, had something on her mind. Like many of us, the youngster was worried about what she was hearing and seeing in the news. Like so many others on the South Coast, Jasmyn took particular notice of one story: the item about Japanese plans to increase whaling numbers. Instead of interpreting what Jasmyn had to say, I will simply read her short but concise letter:
Dear Mrs Gash,
My name is Jasmyn Newton and I am nine years old.
I saw a news headline on Ten that Japanese people are shooting and killing whales. All the whales around our area are protected for one … so I think the Japanese should stop.
They should find something else to make soap out of.
I have gone around my local area and gotten some people to sign my petition: “Save the Whales”.
I hope that you can take notice to this letter.
Yours sincerely,
Jasmyn Newton
The South Coast of New South Wales can proudly include itself as part of the nation’s booming whale-watching industry. It is an industry that has grown through hard work, education and community support. It is also an industry that relies on whale populations being protected, studied and understood. Associate Professor Peter Harrison from Southern Cross University best spells out the potential impact of Japan’s proposed actions. He told the ABC recently:
The potential threat is also significant in terms of our humpback whale population ... A resumption of significant amounts of lethal scientific whaling or commercial whaling could seriously threaten its ability to recover to pre-whaling population.
The key issue here is that population has not recovered as such ... it’s probably still about one-quarter of its natural size.
It also presents a problem in terms of Australia’s $300 million whale-watching industry.
About one-and-a-half million people are estimated to watch whales ... be that on commercial whale-watching vessels or along the coastline ... and the economic significance of that to some of the coastal communities ... where people migrate to ... is very significant.
So, if you have an increase in numbers of humpback whales being taken ... that could have serious implications for the recovery of the whale population and ... therefore ... the ongoing expansion of the whale-watching industry.
I could not concur more with the words of Professor Harrison. But it is the words of young Jasmyn of Tomerong we must make sure that Japan hears: ‘They should find something else to make so soap of.’ I urge all local members to place petitions in their offices and to be heard loud and long in the media about these stomach-churning outrageous killings.