Organised by a dive instructor, Natalie Banks, this protest against the W.A.
Organised by a dive instructor, Natalie Banks, this protest against the W.A. government's policy of baited drumlines to attempt to stop the (very small number of) shark attacks in Western Australia drew thousands. The official police estimate was 3000 people. My estimate (using birdwatching techniques) put it closer to 7000-8000.
The crowd was all ages, and all walks of life, and everyone was ... well ... politely angry at the Barnett administration's actions.
There were speakers from Sea Shepard, from W.A.S.C , the Conservation Council, not to mention the Greens and Labor. The Greens speaker was furious, and is, herself, a paddle-boarder. The Labor speaker (the Shadow Minister for Water, Fisheries & Youth), offered apologies from the W.A. Labor leader who was on holidays down South, and offered alternative science-based policies, not just knocking.
The divers, surfers, and swimmers then took the protest to the water, and even under the water at the iconic Cottesloe Pylon.
The crowd was all ages, and all walks of life, and everyone was ... well ... politely angry at the Barnett administration's actions.
There were speakers from Sea Shepard, from W.A.S.C , the Conservation Council, not to mention the Greens and Labor. The Greens speaker was furious, and is, herself, a paddle-boarder. The Labor speaker (the Shadow Minister for Water, Fisheries & Youth), offered apologies from the W.A. Labor leader who was on holidays down South, and offered alternative science-based policies, not just knocking.
The divers, surfers, and swimmers then took the protest to the water, and even under the water at the iconic Cottesloe Pylon.
Hitting the news already: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-01-04/shark-protests/5184730
ReplyDeleteFantastic, Rob! Excellent work :-)
ReplyDeleteMore good reporting:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/thousands-protest-state-government-shark-policy-20140104-30amo.html