Whale Carcass - Question Without Notice
My question is directed to the Minister for Water, representing the Minister for the Environment. The removal of a sperm whale carcass from Royal National Park to Bellambi last Friday was described by the National Parks and Wildlife Service as a successful outcome, with the carcass safely transferred from the water. I think those witnessing it would describe it very differently. The planning and execution of the disposal of a decomposing whale carcass weighing at least 25 tonnes was so poor that multiple sharks were attracted close to beaches, with swimmers, surfers and divers given no notice of the carcass being towed nearby, and stranded boaters given no choice but to wade through water filled with blood and guts as an excavator proved next to useless for the gruesome job. Who actually oversaw the operation on the ground?
The Hon. ROSE JACKSON (Minister for Water, Minister for Housing, Minister for Homelessness, Minister for Mental Health, and Minister for Youth) (11:16): I thank the member for her question, which was quite visceral and vivid. I have information provided by the Minister for the Environment because she is obviously not available to answer questions. She is probably sitting upstairs desperately wanting to provide more information than I am able to provide. Nonetheless, I understand that the operation was undertaken by the National Parks and Wildlife Service in cooperation with Maritime, Marine Rescue NSW, the police and local councils.
As is standard practice, the National Parks and Wildlife Service will review the operation with the other parties involved, including Wollongong City Council and Surf Life Saving NSW, to identify any lessons learned to improve effectiveness and efficiency in such operations in the future. Perhaps some of the quite detailed information that the member had in her question will feed into that review that the National Parks and Wildlife Service is conducting. I am sure the Minister for the Environment will welcome engagement from her as well as the people she has spoken to who were witnesses and participants who have information to provide so that those pieces of feedback can be included as part of that review that I am advised is standard practice.
Ms CATE FAEHRMANN (11:17): This sorry, disgusting saga was an absolute debacle from the moment that someone decided that carcass needed to be towed to Bellambi. I have heard that there was no notification. People only realised it was happening when they saw the whale carcass being towed. The council was not notified that it was going to happen. Surf Life Saving Illawarra was notified by a fisherman who saw the carcass being towed half an hour before the council notified Surf Life Saving Illawarra that there was a carcass in the water and that multiple sharks were interested in it. Questions need to be answered. The local community is absolutely furious that they were put at such risk.
The Hon. ROSE JACKSON (Minister for Water, Minister for Housing, Minister for Homelessness, Minister for Mental Health, and Minister for Youth) (11:18): To clarify, I am advised by the Minister for the Environment that the National Parks and Wildlife Service worked closely with Wollongong City Council to plan for the operation. In fact, it sought council's guidance on the appropriate day for the operation, as well as access to load capacities at the boat ramp and the site. They also notified and briefed other partners, such as Maritime, the New South Wales water police and Marine Rescue, and a Maritime vessel was onsite for much of the operation. I want to provide that information because I know that the Minister for the Environment would be extremely interested in it. She would want to make sure that if there are lessons to be learnt and elements of the operation that can be identified for improvement in the future, that is done. I also want to provide it to be clear about the work that did happen in this instance.