In December last year, the NSW government wound back protections for marine life in the Batemans Marine Park. Now the Agriculture Minister is going after sanctuaries across the whole state!
Even worse, they made this decision with a complete disregard for due process – they didn’t consult with the community or with scientists. They even ignored their own legislation, which requires consultation and is intended to protect the marine environment for all.
Marine sanctuaries are the special places in our oceans that provide marine life with freedom to live, grow and breed with minimal impact from us. In NSW, only 7% of coastal waters currently have this full protection. We can’t afford to lose the sanctuaries we have and we can’t let the government act without allowing our right to participate in the decisions that affect our future.