Election 2020: NT Parties Support Policies for a Bright Recreational Fishing Future

The Amateur Fishermen’s Association of the NT (AFANT), the peak body representing recreational fishing across the Territory, are pleased to confirm that we have received commitments from the major parties in support of most of the policy questions we put forward to ensure a bright fishing future in the Northern Territory.

With thousands of members and 30,000 constituents from all walks of life, at AFANT we understand there is no “typical” recreational fisher. There are, however, a range of values and policy matters that are essential to supporting NT fisheries and to ensure high quality fishing experiences are maintained into the future.

Early last month, AFANT put 24 questions, across 7 key policy areas to the major parties contesting the 2020 Northern Territory Election. The responses received have been collated and entered as direct quotes, written by the parties, into the tables of the AFANT 2020 Election Policy Questionnaire Response Document. The full responses received are available on our website, along with links to the individual party policy papers.

This process has been designed to ensure political parties are aware of and committed to the policies needed to support recreational fishing, as well as to help inform recreational fishers where each party stands on the issues important to their fishing future. We are pleased to have secured significant support for many of the key policy questions raised in the AFANT 2020 Election Policy Questionnaire.

While support for policies important to the recreational fishing sector has been broad, the details of the responses from each party often differs, so AFANT encourages fishers to download the AFANT 2020 Election Policy Questionnaire Response Document to see for themselves.

AFANT CEO David Ciaravolo said “AFANT is proud of our work to ensure that our community’s vision for an exciting and inclusive fishing future has been largely supported by those contending to lead the Territory.

“The Territory’s three major parties have each provided a comprehensive response to 24 questions posed in the AFANT 2020 Election Policy Questionnaire, with each party also supporting recreational fishing through the release of their own recreational fishing policy documents.

AFANT President Warren de With said “We will never tell people how to vote and we are committed to working with any future Government to ensure that our shared vision for a bright fishing future becomes a reality”.

NOTE: To ensure the best possible support for a bright fishing future, AFANT continue to work and engage with the parties where we see opportunity of improving official policy responses/positions. As of August 11 2020, Territory Alliance have confirmed, in writing, support for Water Advisory Committees, for the 80/20 rule, for ESY research in the Katherine Tindall Aquifer and to not dam free flowing rivers.

AFANT is committed to transparency and want to ensure our community has access all relevant information. Therefore in addition to the responses contained in our 2020 NT Election Policy Questionnaire Response Document we also provide the following links to the full responses received, and the individual party policies hosted on their websites:

NT Labor: Full Response to AFANT  and NT Labor Recreational Fishing Policy

Country Liberal Party: Full Response to AFANT and CLP Recreational Fishing Policy

Territory Alliance: Full Response to AFANT and TA Recreational Fishing Policy