Member for Roe Peter Rundle MLA has reaffirmed his opposition to the Cook Labor Government’s South Coast Marine Park, despite a motion to disallow four Marine Park Orders being defeated in the Labor-dominated Legislative Assembly this week.
Mr Rundle said the South Coast Marine Park (SCMP) was not the product of science or genuine community demand, but of a 2021 election promise rushed out under the McGowan Government’s “Plan for our Parks” initiative.
“I do not, and cannot, support marine parks designed at the behest of overseas lobby groups such as the U.S. based Pew Charitable Trust,” Mr Rundle said.
“This plan lacks robust science and has failed to properly consult recreational and commercial fishers — the very people who will bear the brunt of this decision.”
Mr Rundle noted strong community opposition, including 1,674 Western Australians who signed a petition calling for the planning process to be halted and a Parliamentary Inquiry launched.
A second petition, tabled in November last year, raised even more serious concerns — including the failure of the former Minister for Environment to assess the socio-economic impact of the SCMP.
He said the value of commercial fishing licences, often held by families for decades, have been potentially reduced by the zoning changes, with little clarity around compensation.
“There has been minimal contact from Government about compensation. Families and businesses deserve certainty — the Government just needs to get on with it,” Mr Rundle said.
Mr Rundle emphasised that marine protection and sustainable fishing are not mutually exclusive.
“We can — and must — pursue both. But this requires a transparent, evidence-based process that respects those most affected,” he said.
“Conservation policy in WA must be grounded in science, fairness, and genuine community consultation — not ideology or election promises.”
