Have your say on fisheries and aquaculture regulation

THE Australian Government is calling for ideas on how to streamline regulation affecting Australia’s fisheries and aquaculture sectors in submissions to a Productivity Commission inquiry.

Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, Senator Anne Ruston, today encouraged interested stakeholders to have their say on how their industry can be better regulated.

“The Productivity Commission has today released an issues paper outlining key issues for the sector—and I certainly hope that this will stimulate further discussion with industry and any interested parties,” Minister Ruston said.

“It is a key commitment of this Government to foster a competitive, transparent and efficient business environment. 

“The inquiry is a commitment of the Agricultural Competitiveness and Developing Northern Australia White Papers, and is yet another demonstration of our commitment to boosting farm gate returns to our primary producers.

“With a gross production value of $2.6 billion, Australia’s fisheries and aquaculture industry is in good shape and continues to grow. We can leverage that growth by cutting down unnecessary and duplicative regulation.

“The goal is to look for opportunities to increase productivity by cutting unnecessary and costly regulation without compromising our high food safety and environmental standards.

“The issues paper looks at areas where opportunity exists to improve—like coordination between jurisdictions, unnecessary overlap and the resulting cumulative impact on business.

“Any business, organisation or individual with an interest in marine fisheries and aquaculture should consider providing a submission to the inquiry.”

The Productivity Commission is due to report back to government by the end of 2016, and submissions on the issues paper are due by 31 March 2016.

The issues paper and details on how to provide a submission are available on the Productivity Commission websitewww.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/fisheries-aquaculture​.