MINNS GOVERNMENT MUST COME CLEAN ON FUTURE OF GRAFTON AQUACULTURE CENTRE

NSW Nationals Member for Clarence Richie Williamson has called on the Minns Labor Government to immediately rule out any downgrade or closure of the Grafton Aquaculture Centre at the Grafton Primary Industries Institute. Mr Williamson said concerns about the centre’s future had only increased after Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty was asked this week to rule out plans to downgrade or close the facility but failed to do so.

Minister Moriarty was given two opportunities to directly address concerns when asked a question in the NSW Legislative Council, both times, the Minister refused to address community concerns about the Labor Government closing the centre.

“The Minister had a very simple opportunity to put these concerns to bed and rule out any downgrade or closure of the Grafton Aquaculture Centre, but sadly the Minister refused to do that, this now looks like the Labor Government has the centre in its sights” Mr Williamson said.

“If the Government has no plans to downgrade or close the centre, then why on earth won’t the Minister simply say so?

“Once again, I am calling on the Minns Labor Government to come clean and give the people of the Clarence a clear guarantee that the Grafton Aquaculture Centre will remain fully operational.”

The Grafton Aquaculture Centre is an important Threatened Species Production unit, delivering conservation aquaculture and fisheries science for northern New South Wales and, during major drought events, supporting programs across the wider state.

Mr Williamson said the work undertaken at Grafton had been critical to the long-term conservation and sustainability of some of NSW’s most iconic native fish species. “The scientists and support staff at Grafton undertake incredibly important work for our waterways, our native fish populations and the broader environment,” he said. “The centre has carried out vital research and conservation programs involving species including Eastern Freshwater Cod, it also plays an important role in the ongrowing of Australian Bass for recreational fishing restocking programs across northern NSW.

This is specialist scientific capability that has been built up over many years. Once you lose that expertise and infrastructure from a regional community, it is very difficult to get it back. The Minister needs to stop the uncertainty and categorically rule out any downgrade or closure of this important Grafton facility, Mr Williamson said.