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October 11th, 2011 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda Updated
Protesters took their fight to save the fisheries research centre to the NSW Parliament this morning, but the Primary Industries Minister says the decision is final.
New South Wales Primary Industries Minister Katrina Hodgkinson is standing firm in the face of anger within Coalition ranks over her decision to close the Cronulla Fisheries Research Centre of Excellence.
Workers from the facility in Sydney’s south were joined by four Liberal MPs outside the NSW Parliament this morning as they called on the State Government to reverse its decision.
“Save Cronulla fisheries, save Cronulla fisheries,” the crowd chanted.
Cronulla MP Mark Speakman and Sports Minister Graham Annersley, representing the neighbouring electorate of Miranda, accepted boxes of signed petitions to table in Parliament.
They were assisted by Heathcote and Oatley MPs, Lee Evans and Mark Coure.
All four MPs were first elected to the NSW Parliament when the Coalition won Government in March.
Mr Speakman reiterated that the Government should reconsider its decision in the face of community anger over the plan.
“That’s because common sense dictates that the fisheries stay where they are,” Mr Speakman said.
But Ms Hodgkinson says the protest is futile.
“The decision has been made about this and it’s going to be for the real benefit of regional New South Wales,” Ms Hodgkinson said.
The closure was announced as a decentralisation initiative on September 8, with the centre’s work expected to be transferred to Port Stephens, Coffs Harbour and Nowra.
Mr Speakman says expertise will be lost because many of the Cronulla site’s 147 workers will be unwilling to relocate.
He has also questions the suitability of Port Stephens for some of the research.
“The Port Stephens site doesn’t have the same suitability for wild fisheries research as Cronulla does. It’s located in a swamp where the water is unsuitable,” he said this morning.
The Minister has rejected the criticism.
“I’ve been to Port Stephens and they’ve got great filtration there. They’re breeding fantastic hatcheries,” Ms Hodgkinson said.
“In fact they’ve successfully bred the endangered southern bluefin tuna, so any talk about the water quality not being up to standard is just not true.”
Labor has also criticised the closure decision, and says it has exposed divisions between the Liberals and Nationals.
Opposition Leader John Robertson says the Liberal MPs who are against the closure must stand up to the decision.
“This is a critical piece of infrastructure. Mark Speakman and the rest of them can’t just simply table the petition and speak on this,” Mr Robertson said.
“They’ve got to make a stand and that includes looking at whether they’ll resign from the party if the Government proceeds.”
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