Ms O’CONNOR question to MINISTER for PARKS, Mr DUIGAN
Thank you to the minister for that answer. I would also like to note the impact on a very sensitive marine ecology of this mass mortality event. As you would be aware, I hope, the Ninepin Point Marine Reserve is a very unusual marine reserve, where there is salt water underneath overlaid by tannin rich waters that come out of the Huon River where industrial fish farming takes place.
Will you ask Parks – because it is not specifically a matter for the EPA – whether an area for which you have responsibility as Parks has been impacted? That is a Parks responsibility. Will you ask Parks to investigate whether there have been adverse impacts on the ecology and the species of the Ninepin Point Marine Reserve?
ANSWER
Mr President, as I have said in my previous answer, it is an ongoing investigation that is currently underway. It is in the hands of the EPA. Parks, I am sure, in the fullness of time, when we understand – when the critical phase of the incident has passed through – I think, there is certainly a job of work to do to understand what the potential impacts of this have been. I am sure Parks, through the course of the work they do, will advise me as minister.
