Media Release | 2 November 2026
Kirrilee Warr MLA
Shadow Minister for Fisheries
Shadow Minister for Fisheries Kirrilee Warr MLA says important questions about the Cook Labor Government’s controversial demersal fishing ban could finally be answered when public hearings for the Parliamentary Inquiry begin on Tuesday.
The ban, which has kept commercial and recreational fishers off the water in the West Coast Bioregion since the beginning of the year, prompted tens of thousands of Western Australians to support one of the largest petitions ever tabled in the WA Parliament calling for an inquiry.
Ms Warr said Western Australians deserved transparency about how the decision was made and the impacts it has created.
“Since the Fishing Futures Forum more than 12 months ago, which we now know was the extent of the consultation the Cook Labor Government had regarding demersal fishing, the industry has been dealt blow after blow,” she said.
“From fishers being given three weeks’ notice to make decisions about their livelihoods thanks to a captain’s call from the Minister, to a lack of foresight on the funding for compensation, and the significant delays in processing these claims, there has been a clear disregard for the people affected.
“Throughout this process, the people of Western Australia have been asking how and why these decisions were made. I am hopeful these hearings will finally provide some answers.”
Ms Warr said inquiry was the result of a united community effort and demonstrated the widespread concern surrounding the ban.
“Western Australians understand the need for sustainable fisheries. What they do not understand is why decisions of this magnitude were made with so little transparency and such significant consequences for the people affected,” she said.
“More than 27,000 supported calls for this inquiry, because this ban affects more than just fishers.
“The unintended consequences have been felt across the community, with the price of fish going up and tourism businesses, particularly those in regional WA, suffering as a result of this ban.
“The lack of transparency from the Minister has eroded any trust the public had in the government’s handling of fisheries.”
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