Mr BELL (Mount Gambier) (11:06): I rise to move this motion in an amended form as follows:

That this house—

(a) recognises the important assistance professional and recreational fishers play in emergency marine safety situations in Limestone Coast waters; and

(b) calls on the state government to provide funding for a marine rescue squadron/association/SES marine unit, incorporating a rescue vessel, to be based at Port MacDonnell.

Upon entering the Port MacDonnell and District Maritime Museum, you will find the walls adorned with stories of more than 30 ill-fated ships that came to grief along the rugged local coastline during the late 1800s and early 1900s. This stretch of coastline was once known as 'the graveyard of ships', bearing witness to one of Australia's most devastating maritime disasters, in 1859. The passenger ship SS Admella tragically shipwrecked on a submerged reef off Carpenter Rocks, resulting in the loss of 89 lives. At the time, rescue vessels were dispatched from Adelaide and Portland. Over 160 years later, the region still relies on vessels from further afield for rescue operations.

In 2011, Port MacDonnell fishermen Gary Causon and Mark Moody were involved in a lifesaving mission, rescuing two men whose vessel had capsized 15 kilometres off Port MacDonell's coast due to a freak wave. After searching the treacherous seas for nearly four hours, Causon and Moody spotted the stranded men clinging to an esky in frigid waters. The two survivors, both standing six foot tall, were hauled aboard with great effort by the local fishermen and hurried back to shore.

Limestone Coast Superintendent Trevor Twilley credited Causon and Moody for saving the survivors. I quote:

Had it not been for the vessel Remarkable having gone out there to assist us in our coordination of the search then it's quite likely they may not have survived.

Gary Causon was hopeful that the incident would highlight the need for a full-time coastguard. He was quoted as saying:

I think it's well overdue. It's one of our busiest ports in South Australia and we have nobody. They've been relying on local people for 30-40 years to save people and it's time we had something done.

A series of public meetings followed, and a proposal for a marine rescue service was prepared by the District Council of Grant and presented to the state government at the time.

The proposal highlighted the significant recreational fishing fraternity, the large commercial fishing sector in the area and a predicted rising aquatic risk profile. This marked the beginning of what is now an 11-year campaign to establish an official marine rescue service in the Lower South-East of South Australia.

Since that event in 2011, there have been numerous instances where the community has depended on the goodwill of local fishers to assist in rescue operations, some of which ended tragically. In 2014, a luxury catamaran started taking on water off Port MacDonnell with two men aboard. A rescue call was put out and the two men were rescued from their life raft by a nearby commercial fishing boat.

Later that year, local fishermen were the first on the scene and assisted in the search for a missing snorkeller off the coast of Carpenter Rocks. Police later joined the search, but the man's body was sadly found washed up on the shore. In 2016, two recreational fishermen were rescued by another volunteer fisher when he spotted them treading water two kilometres off the coast of Port MacDonnell after their boat sank due to an anchor rope entangling the propeller.

In 2021, local fishers again were involved in the search for a 32 year old who went missing while snorkelling. He was unable to be saved. Just days later, Dale Brant and Rick Hill were checking their lobster pots when they were called upon to rescue five men who were hanging on the bottom of their overturned boat. All five men were treated for mild hypothermia.

The year 2022 saw another two incidents involving volunteer rescues. In April, two Carpenter Rocks fishermen aided in the rescue of two tourists whose dinghy had capsized. Then, in August, the call again went out to locals to assist an amateur vessel that had reported engine trouble. Charter fishing operators Jason Fulham and Tyson Kain answered the call. The rescue operation took almost five hours, with complications occurring on the tow back in. The damaged vessel began taking on water and had to be abandoned. During this process, the rescuers' own vessel suffered approximately $5,000 in damage.

These incidents are just a selection from the past decade in which professional and recreational fishermen have played a crucial role in rescue operations, with many others not reported publicly. There has been a longstanding agreement between local police and the community of Port MacDonnell to conduct these rescues, and the professional fishing fleet has always selflessly come forward to offer their time when they have been called to do so.

However, we cannot rely on the goodwill of people forever, plus expect them to shoulder the associated costs. Along with lost time and fuel, fishers are also shouldering a heavy liability burden. Rescue operations are outside the normal duties of both recreational and professional fishermen. Should something unforeseen happen during a rescue, can we guarantee that the insurance companies will step up to the plate? If professional vessels are damaged, who will compensate the fisher for lost earnings while the boat is on land being repaired?

This stretch of coastline has proven to be treacherous, yet the closest rescue vehicle is located in Kingston, a two-hour boat ride away. Not only are we relying on commercial and recreational vessels that are not designed for this purpose but we are also relying on local fishermen who have not been trained to perform rescues safely and who may not have the necessary equipment. It is important to emphasise that many of the local fishers are happy to volunteer their time, but they want to do it safely and not at personal cost and/or possible liability.

It is time to address this issue and establish a marine rescue unit at Port MacDonnell, equipped with a built-for-purpose vessel and trained volunteers. The District Council of Grant is a great supporter of this project, and has been actively involved over the past 11 years in garnering support for such a facility. They have provided in principle support with the provision of land, along with a commitment to assist with engaging community members.

In 2021, a meeting was held with the South Australian State Emergency Service and other key stakeholders to discuss the potential establishment of a marine volunteer rescue service. It is currently stated on the South Australian SES website:

VMR [volunteer marine rescue] have identified a lack of resources in the south-east…and are actively pursuing opportunities to remedy this situation.

It is evident that there is consensus on the need for a rescue service in the Lower South-East, yet we still have no dedicated marine rescue unit.

Just last week, Tumby Bay, a lovely town in the Spencer Gulf, took possession of its new rescue vessel, the Yaragada. This was a replacement for its existing 20-year-old vessel, and the updated design equipment will allow the volunteers to operate safely for longer periods in a wider range of weather and sea conditions. Whilst I applaud and congratulate this addition for the Tumby Bay district, and have no doubt that it is a vital addition for the safety of their community, I note that there is also an SES marine unit with a marine rescue vessel located at Port Lincoln, approximately 30 minutes away.

As I highlighted earlier, since the initial proposal was put to the government 11 years ago, there have been regular marine incidents that have involved fishers carrying out rescue operations. Both sides of government have had the opportunity to act on this proposal, but it appears budgetary constraints have halted the project from moving any further. With the rock lobster fishing season now underway and summertime approaching, let us hope that action is taken before a tragedy forces the issue.