Media Release | 12 December 2025
Kirrilee Warr MLA
Shadow Minister for Fisheries
Shadow Minister for Fisheries Kirrilee Warr MLA says the Fisheries Minister has refused to table the DPIRD advice she claims justified permanently shutting down Western Australia’s commercial demersal fishing industry.
During Question Time, the Minister was asked to produce all DPIRD advice, modelling or documentation that recommended a permanent ban — or to state clearly if no such advice existed.
She did neither.
“Western Australians were told this Government was ‘following the science’, yet today the Minister refused to table a single piece of DPIRD advice recommending a permanent closure,” Ms Warr said.
“All she offered was a reference to stock assessments already tabled months ago — documents that describe fish stocks, not departmental recommendations to shut an entire industry forever.”
Ms Warr said the Minister’s answer confirms she cannot point to any DPIRD advice recommending a permanent ban, despite the enormous economic and social consequences of the decision.
“This was her moment to show the evidence, instead, we got deflection and avoidance,” she said.
Ms Warr said communities from Kalbarri to Augusta, as well as operators in the Pilbara and the South Coast, deserve full transparency.
“People have lost their livelihoods, boats are being tied up, businesses are facing financial ruin, and entire regional economies are bracing for the worst,” she said.
“The very least the Minister can do is release the advice she claims to be acting on.”
Ms Warr called on the Government to immediately table all departmental advice related to the decision and to stop hiding behind generic stock assessments.
ENDS
