Zone authority needs local leadership

BY CARLI WILLIS

Zenadth Kes leaders have renewed calls for a nongovernmental, grass-roots presence on the Torres Strait’s Protected Zone Joint Authority (PZJA) after a recent visit marked the Authority’s first face-to-face meeting in eight years.

Legislation specifies the PZJA was to be made up of the Commonwealth Minister, the Queensland Minister and the TSRA Chairperson.

Gur Baradharaw Kod Sea and Land Council (GBK) chair Ned David (pictured above left) said he believed the third position should be filled by a First Nations person or body independent of government.

“I was part of the negotiation for the third seat on the PZJA, which is now the TSRA,” he said. “That position isn’t there to represent the TSRA, that position is there to represent fishermen and First Nations people who are in the protected zone.”

Mr David said he felt engagement with stakeholders on the ground was lacking.

“I’m sitting here talking to you about reforms that have been talked about before

2000,” he said. “25 years in the making, this is ridiculous.”

Mr David said a fourth seat on the PZJA would go a long way towards rebuilding relationships on the ground.

He said the Malu Lamar Registered Native Title Body covered a similar area to the Protected Zone and was the best candidate for the seat.

Zenadth Kes Fisheries board member Frank Loban (pictured above right) said he was passionate about ensuring Torres Strait Islanders were engaged in fisheries. He said he felt a rearrangement of PZJA management could benefit the region.

“To try and improve or enhance some of the islanders decision-making aspects in the fisheries,” he said.

“What I’d like to see is in the future [is] the fisheries managed by Torres Strait Islanders and that Torres Strait Islanders are participating at all levels.

“We are a majority of the fishermen, we are a majority of the people who are buying the produce and selling it to domestic and international markets.”

Mr Loban said he believed those goals were still on the table and communities had never stopped working towards them.

TSRA chair Napau Pedro Stephen AM told the visiting ministers the aspiration of Zenadth Kes fishers was 100 percent ownership of fisheries.

“This has been a call since 1936, a lot of people know about the maritime strike,” Mr Loban said.

“There has been leaders in the past that have aspired for islanders to look after our own office, invest in the fisheries.

“Uncle Pedro has been a good person to pursue this.”

Mr David said the frequency of meetings of the PZJA and its outcomes was also questionable.

“How many actual policy reforms [have] they endorsed at those meetings,” he said.

“I believe this is the flaw in the current framework – the engagement between where the decisions are made and people on the ground.”

In a statement to Torres News the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) said the PZJA “generally” met three times a year and was bound by the Torres Strait Fisheries Act 1984

“Changes to this membership, including additional members, would require amendments to the Act and none have been proposed at this time,” an AFMA spokesperson said.

“The PZJA actively seeks the views of Traditional Owners, including seeking formal advice from Traditional Owners on decisions that may affect Native Title rights. Traditional Owners are also active members across PZJA consultative forums, providing advice to the PZJA to better inform its decisions.”