GUN LICENCE RENEWAL SHOULD BE AUTOMATIC

Automatic renewal of firearms licences should take place every five years, rather than requiring gun owners to reapply for the licence again, according to the Victorian Nationals.

Eastern Region MP Peter Hall raised the matter in Parliament last week, suggesting that an automatic licence renewal, with some requirements for mandatory reporting of changes circumstances, was a simpler and less time consuming process.

Mr Hall said The Nationals were not suggesting that licences be issued for 10 years, but rather have five-year licences that can be renewed automatically.
Mr Hall supported a proposal put forward by the Combined Firearms Council of Victoria.

“It has identified the automatic renewal of licences as one of its prime concerns,” he said. “(The Council) says: The Firearms Act currently treats each licence renewal as a new application. Given the initial licence screening and ongoing monitoring of licence-holders by the Victoria Police, the requirement that renewals be treated as new applications does not add any value to the regulatory process. In fact, it adds costs to all concerned.

“Amending the act to provide for automatic renewals would not affect the ability of the chief commissioner to revoke a licence, and a new provision could be inserted to enable her to refuse to renew a licence that would otherwise be scheduled for automatic renewal.

“Moving to automatic renewals would release badly needed resources within the licensing services division to perform other functions as well as making the interface with shooters more 'user friendly'.

Automatic renewals would provide administrative efficiency without having any impact on public safety -- therefore providing a net benefit.”

“The CFCV has expressed the argument very well,” Mr Hall added. “There should be a requirement for any licence-holder to notify authorities when there are changes of a significant nature to the circumstances and records attached to that particular licence.

“There is an automatic renewal process for a motor vehicle licence, but if for some reason there is a change in one's personal circumstance -- for example, certain medical conditions -- there is a mandatory requirement to notify VicRoads.”

Mr Hall he did not believe the suggestion contravened the national firearms agreement. “On my reading of it, the agreement suggests that a firearm licence cannot be issued for longer than five years. That can be so.

“We are saying that we can continue to have five-year firearm licences but that they be renewed automatically, rather than requiring a separate application to renew each licence.”
Mr Hall added that legal firearm owners had displayed great common sense in recent years.

PUBLIC MISSES OUT IF COMMERCIAL FISHING BANNED

Plans to ban netting by commercial fishermen in Western Port and other parts of the State could deny people the opportunity of purchasing fresh, local fish right across the State, according to The Nationals.

The Nationals Resources and Environment spokesperson Peter Hall attempted to water down legislation to ban netting in Western Port, based on the figures which show commercial and recreational fishing can comfortably co-exist in many areas.

Mr Hall expressed his disappointment that all other parties had meekly ‘rolled over’ in the face of a Government decision to ban netting in Western Port, when the Government’s own figures had shown that the catch had not decreased at all in the last six years.

He also said the action would put at risk the availability of fresh fish to the general public.

“One of the great attractions of going to a coastal area of Victoria is to sample local product,” Mr Hall told Parliament. “Who would not go to Lakes Entrance and buy fish and chips? Who would not go to Welshpool or Corner Inlet and buy fish and chips?

“The attraction of travelling to Lorne or Apollo Bay or Warrnambool is that you can purchase local product. It is the same with restaurants along the Mornington Peninsula, the Bellarine Peninsula and all along the coastal areas. You go there and look for local product on the menu.

“(But) in places like Mallacoota, for example, where the government compulsorily closed down commercial netting, there is no local product available for purchase.

“I make the claim that once we close commercial netting in Western Port you will not be able to go to places like San Remo, Cowes, Hastings, Flinders or any of the other communities around the coastal areas of Western Port and purchase locally caught product.

“There will be an impact on businesses such as those in the restaurant and hospitality industry. The tourism industry will also suffer because of the lack of opportunity to supply fresh food and attract people.

“Moreover, the alarming thing is what will happen if this trend continues. It was only a little over 12 months ago that we saw a compulsory closure of commercial fishing in Lake Tyers in Gippsland and also at Mallacoota Inlet. Now we are seeing it being closed in Western Port bay. What will be next?”

Mr Hall quoted from Government sources in regard to fish numbers in Western Port, which demonstrated that fish numbers were not at risk from commercial fishing.

“I refer to a document, produced by the government, by the Department of Primary Industries, entitled Fisheries Victoria Commercial Fish Production Information Bulletin, published in November 2006.
“King George whiting is a very popular species in Western Port. The figures show the actual (commercial) take of whiting from Western Port over the last six years.

“In 1999-2000 the take was 12 tonnes of King George whiting; currently it is 11 tonnes. If you look at the figures throughout you can see that they have been very consistent over that period of time. In 1999-2000 the total catch (commercial and recreational) out of Western Port was 62 tonnes; it is now 56 tonnes. There has been very little variation.”

Mr Hall said the information on snapper showed a similar trend.

He quoted the Fisheries Co-Management Council 2005-06 annual report, which said: In the past few years anecdotal information suggests that anglers in Port Phillip Bay and Western Port bay have experienced the best snapper fishing for decades.’’

Mr Hall added: “It goes on to say: ‘... the estimated total recreational snapper catch taken from Victorian waters was about 475 000 fish that weighed 330 tonnes. In 2000-01 the total reported Victorian catch was 74 tonnes.”

Mr Hall said with just 74 tonnes taken commercially, as opposed to 330 tonnes in an estimated recreational take, less than a quarter of snapper are caught commercially.

“If the fisheries are booming in Western Port, as stated by the co-management council, and if the commercial catch is only about a quarter of that taken by recreational fishers, I again make the claim that the removal of commercial netting from Western Port would have no significant impact on fish resources or resource management in Western Port.”

Mr Hall said the Government’s decision was not based on scientific grounds, but was “ideological, philosophical and political opportunism.”

CALL FOR BY-PASS INQUIRY RESULTS

The State Government’s delay in announcing the results of an inquiry into plans for a Traralgon by-pass is creating uncertainty in the local community, according to The National Party.

Eastern Region MP Peter Hall said the results of the inquiry, according to former Premier Steve Bracks, should have been released more than three months ago.

“Even more disturbing is that Planning Minister, Justin Madden, doesn’t know what’s going on,” Mr Hall said. “When I raised the matter in Parliament this week, he had no answers.”

Mr Hall was supported by Morwell MLA, Russell Northe, who said the growth in the local region required the Government to act quickly.

“People locally want to know what the future holds for the area so they can make business and personal decisions about development, including housing,” Mr Northe said.

In Parliament, Mr Hall asked the Minister about the Traralgon by-pass supplementary inquiry.

“The inquiry was established earlier this year to take a further look at the decision on the route chosen by the original advisory committee inquiry in 2004 in bypassing Traralgon,” Mr Hall said.

“In particular the focus of this supplementary inquiry was on the proposed Princes Highway bypass route on the western side of Traralgon.”

Mr Hall said he made a submission to the supplementary inquiry, which is chaired by Keith Hamilton, a former member for Morwell, way back in April.

“Recent inquiries directed to the government regarding progress on this inquiry resulted in advice being given to my colleague the current member for Morwell, Mr Russell Northe, by the then Premier, Steve Bracks, in a letter dated 18 June.

“Importantly he (Mr Bracks) mentioned; ‘The committee's report is not expected to be completed until 3 July 2007.’”

Mr Hall said more than three months since the report was due, there was still no word.

And the response from the Planning Minister was less than satisfactory.

“Mr Madden really had no idea what was going on,” Mr Hall said outside Parliament.

“His was a particularly lame response. He said he thought it was with the department but really had no idea of its status.”

Mr Hall added: “This is an important matter for the future development of the City of Latrobe and in particular for the corridor between Traralgon and Morwell.”

Mr Hall and Mr Northe have called on the Minister to make available the report of the supplementary inquiry immediately and that he announce “as a matter of urgency” the government's decision regarding the preferred bypass route.

POLICE DESERVE PRAISE

Eastern Region MP Peter Hall has heaped praise on local police, making a point of congratulating in Parliament a number of local force members recognised with service medals.

Mr Hall raised the matter in Parliament after attending the National Medal and Victoria Police Service Medal award ceremony held in Morwell early this month.

“On that occasion 47 officers of the Victoria Police coming from the Bass Coast police service area, the Baw Baw police service area and the Latrobe police service area were acknowledged by Superintendent Geoff Newby and Assistant Commissioner Paul Evans for various periods of service,” Mr Hall said.

“It is appropriate to reflect on the outstanding commitment, dedication and contribution made by police officers in this state, and particularly their efforts to maintain community safety. Policing must be one of the most difficult professions to practise.

“It is a profession where personal courage is an attribute more frequently called upon than in many other professions.

“I want to thank and congratulate all of those people and extend my greatest admiration to the officers who received recognition last Wednesday, and also their colleagues in the Victorian police force.”

Mr Hall made particular reference to Detective Senior Sergeant Keith Gilbert, who is with the criminal investigation unit based in the Latrobe Valley.

“Keith has chalked up 35 years service with Victoria Police and has been an outstanding member of the force over that time,” Mr Hall said.

OPPORTUNITY FOR FISHING GRANTS

Information about the Recreational Fishing Grants Program (RFGP) 2007/08 is now available through the office of Eastern Region MP Peter Hall, who is urging local groups and anglers to take advantage of the 2008 funding round.

“Recreational fishing is a major activity in Gippsland, with our network of rivers and long coastal stretches,” Mr Hall said. “This is an opportunity to get hold of some of the recreational fishing license money anglers contribute each year so we can improve our facilities in the region.”

Funding is available in four categories, with the exclusive aim of improving recreational fishing in Victoria.

The categories include activities that support:

· Recreational fisheries’ sustainability and habitat improvement (including fish stocking)
· Recreational fishing access and facilities (but not boating facilities)
· Recreational fisheries research; and
· Recreational fisheries related education, information and training.

“Funding is provided to incorporated, statutory and Government bodies and registered companies,” Mr Hall said. “However I note that any individuals who have good ideas can get their angling club, association, local council, Catchment Management Authority or the Victorian Recreational Fishing peak body (VRFish) to support and submit their application.”

Mr Hall added that last year Gippsland received $166,000 through the program for activities as diverse as implementing the fishery and habitat research components of the Mallacoota Inlet Fisheries Management Plan, installation of signage and construction of fishing platforms at various locations in central Gippsland, the implementation of integrated approaches and the monitoring and assessment of recreational estuarine fisheries for Anderson Inlet, Mallacoota Inlet, and funds to design and construct a fishing platform on Merriman’s Creek Island at Seaspray.

“However we didn’t do the best of the regions in Victoria, so we need people to put their hand up for some local projects that will enhance our recreational fishing assets.”
More information about the program is available by contacting Mr Hall’s office on telephone 5174 7066, or via the internet on www.dpi.vic.gov.au/fishing

Applications must be submitted by the end of February, 2008. Eligible proposals are referred to the Minister for funding consideration by May 2008.