The NSW and Australian Labor Governments should step up and provide financial support to the struggling Clarence River prawn industry, the new MP for Clarence, Richie Williamson says.
In an impassioned Private Member's Statement in the NSW Parliament last week, Mr Williamson said the local prawn industry was suffering great stress through no fault of its own.
"For the life of me, I cannot understand why any government would let uncooked green prawns into this country," Mr Williamson told the Legislative Assembly.
He said the Clarence River Fishermen's Cooperative had not been eligible for any grants despite the ravages of fires, floods, disease, and biosecurity control orders.
"The industry is in crisis and needs the full support of the New South Wales State Government and the Albanese Federal Government combined."
Mr Williamson said the first step should be to offer relief by way of a waiver on Crown lease fees, a policy lever that has been used previously.
"There are lives well and truly at stake. This is a matter of urgency," Mr Williamson concluded.
A transcript of Mr Williamson’s Private Member’s Statement can be viewed here -
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