Vote for 'fishing freedom'

Ken O'Dowd

CENTRAL Queensland’s recreational fishermen are being urged by the Coalition to cast a vote for freedom on Saturday.

“If Labor wins, there will be further restrictions to fishing zones as sure as night follows day,” candidate for Flynn Ken O’Dowd said yesterday. “I urge fishers throughout CQ to one last nostalgic look at their tinnies and tackle before they go to vote.”

He claims a deal between Labor and the Greens to swap preferences meant Labor had already signed up for more restrictions.

And he vowed that if elected the Coalition would halt the new zoning process immediately and ensure there was proper consultation with recreational and commercial fishermen to get the balance right.

“Everything in the new Marine Protected Areas plan has to go back to the drawing board,” he said.

 “Fishers can stop this process and get their voices heard by voting LNP. Otherwise they can watch Labor and the Greens lock more and more of their favourite fishing spots away for good.”