Will boat rego and licences make the NT safer?

_________________

I heard someone from the govt (hendo?) talking about regos, safety and the coast guard in the one sentence and I thought that was a long bow to draw.

I can't see regos making it safer here but licensing has to make more people aware of the rules, at least once in their life when they do the exam.

So I assume from that a fair bit of the rego fees will be diverted to coast guard.

Personally, I would be happy to pay $50 a year IF, and only if the money is spent where we need it, ramps etc.


I said ages ago that the permit system would be unenforceable unless there were regos etc. and who is going to enforce the whole deal.

I can see everyone who is against it just buying a heap of stickers and bunging them on the tinny.

If we want facilities, the money has to come from somewhere. The ramp and car park at Dinah bch cost $700 000. Thats a massive amount of cash to be drawn from other projects.

This is a perfect example of the Government criminalising otherwise law abiding citizens. You will note in the documents that regulations will be implemented to create penalties for non compliance with the act. In otherwords, you didn't have to register you boat 2 years ago, but we think you should now, if you dont and we catch you, you'll be a criminal.

Guys.... It is of utmost importance that you get behind AFANT and the Shooters and Fishers Party to oppose this legislation. It is another nail in the coffin for the territory lifestyle. We have lost enough as it stands, let's not lose anymore.

Wait for the outcome of the AFANT discussions and start writing letters, I have attached a form letter for you all to copy and paste. You will find a full list of our current government which I suggest you add in on the mailing list. If every member of the Legislative Assembly receives 200+ emails on Monday morning they will start to listen. Get those emails in guys!!!

Regards,
Phillip Hoare
Shooters and Fishers Party

Attn: Members of the Legislative Assembly,

I write to you know to ask that you desist on any moves to support the Northern Territory Vessel Identification Scheme (NTVIDS), proposed in cabinet.

As a resident of the Northern Territory and as a voter, I will be using my vote at the upcoming election to support the party that protects my rights as a recreational fisherman. This legislation is detrimental to the Territory way of life and will further hinder the rights of all territory residents who wish to provide fresh fish on the table for their families.

It is clear that the introduction of the NTVIDS is a money grab and will do nothing to increase public safety or provide better facilities for the law abiding fishing community. Should you choose to support the introduction of this un-Territorian legislation, you will lose my confidence and my vote in the 2012 election.

I look forward to receiving your response,

Many Thanks,

Regards,

…Insert Name…


electorate.nightcliff@nt.gov.au
jane.aagaard@nt.gov.au
electorate.macdonnell@nt.gov.au
alison.anderson@nt.gov.au
electorate.drysdale@nt.gov.au
ross.bohlin@nt.gov.au
electorate.johnston@nt.gov.au
chris.burns@nt.gov.au
electorate.brennan@nt.gov.au
peter.chandler@nt.gov.au
electorate.greatorex@nt.gov.au
matt.conlan@nt.gov.au
electorate.portdarwin@nt.gov.au
john.elferink@nt.gov.au
electorate.braitling@nt.gov.au
adam.giles@nt.gov.au
electorate.fanniebay@nt.gov.au
michael.gunner@nt.gov.au
electorate.stuart@nt.gov.au
karl.hampton@nt.gov.au
electorate.wanguri@nt.gov.au
paul.henderson@nt.gov.au
electorate.daly@nt.gov.au
rob.knight@nt.gov.au
electorate.karama@nt.gov.au
electorate.barkly@nt.gov.au
gerry.mccarthy@nt.gov.au
electorate.arnhem@nt.gov.au
electorate.blain@nt.gov.au
terry.mills@nt.gov.au
electorate.goyder@nt.gov.au
kezia.purick@nt.gov.au
electorate.arafura@nt.gov.au
marion.scrymgour@nt.gov.au
electorate.sanderson@nt.gov.au
peter.styles@nt.gov.au
electorate.fonglim@nt.gov.au
david.tollner@nt.gov.au
electorate.casuarina@nt.gov.au
kon.vatskalis@nt.gov.au
electorate.nhulunbuy@nt.gov.au
lynne.walker@nt.gov.au
electorate.katherine@nt.gov.au
willem.westravanholthe@nt.gov.au
electorate.nelson@nt.gov.au
gerry.wood@nt.gov.au

Not a snow balls chance in hell of licences and rego making the waterways safer - most other states have licences and they are no better than ones collected from within a weeties packet - the examiners are paid based on how many they issue - work it out - Regos are just the start - then breathos etc.

_________________

there is no proof that boatrego or licence's will make the water ways safer.....you could improve safety 10fold just by putting lights on the moorings at sadgroves creek.....

AFANT meeting was interesting tonight.....lets see what comes from it over the next week or so

Boat Rego-What a load of BS. Time to move to a less beuracratic place- damn there is no where!
Time to vote out Labour.

Now thats a real suggestion! I have a dent in my boat to prove that would help make the water safer.... I still would of hit it being Vessel Licenced.

There is no way it is going to make it safer... The memorandun states rego numbers will ensure rescues of vessels alot less time consuming as they can identify your boat by these number... Naive maybe but if your boat has sunk, how does that help identify your vessel?

People in cars with licences and pay rego on our roads have accidents, die and do stupid things. What is the difference with waterways? its still going to happen regardless if we pay for this utter cr.p. There is no point of it apart from it generates revenue for the govt.......

The other thing is IF boat rego happens, there is people that have $5000 paint jobs and sticker wraps on thier vessels how the hell can anyone expect them to put ugly numbers on works of art like that. I should think that the govt should be letting us register by boat name instead of stickers on hulls, vessels can still be identified by a name. We will see what happens if it comes to it i suppose

_________________

You certainly have my vote against this.

Will boat rego's and licencing make it any safer??? NO!!!!!
Why? look at our roads, people know the road rules and the law, does it stop them....
Unfortunetly there are idiots out there,who will make it hard for eveyone else.
I would rather pay a yearly cost, to be guaranteed that boat ramps are patrolled more..
3 smashed window in the last year on daytime trips, fishings already expensive...

Tell them to go stick their head back into the sand.

Call an election on the issue I say. More regulation and bu...ls..hit

bump

_________________

I onforwarded the form letter that Longrass with a few of my thoughts to all the pollies, below is one of the more responsive replies that I have received. It is interesting to note that no replies from "the powers that think they are" have been received as yet.

"Thanks David,

I couldn't agree more. And as it would appear from the many emails I have responded to this morning,I might have to consider a generic appraoch to this issue.

However, I have owned a couple if tinnies over the years, my latest boat I sold last year after it sat in the driveway for over 12 months (penalty of the job) I look forward to the day however when I will get the chance to get back on the water without boat registration!

I agree this has nothing to do with safety and all to do with appeasing the NLC and their grab for fishing permits. It will be up to them to prove otherwise.

Thanks for the feedback.

Kind Regards


Peter Chandler MLA
Member for Brennan
Shadow Minister Natural Resources,
Environment and Heritage, Parks and Wildlife
and Shadow assisting with Education
Winston Churchill Fellow
PO Box 3668 Palmerston NT 0831

p ... (+61) 8 8932 7477
f ... (+61) 8 8932 7488
m... 0429 076493
e ...peter.chandler@nt.gov.au
________________________________________
From: David Toplis [david.toplis@cdu.edu.au]
Sent: Friday, 24 September 2010 11:22 AM
To: Electorate Nightcliff; Jane Aagaard; Electorate Macdonnell; Alison Anderson; Electorate Drysdale; Ross Bohlin; Electorate Johnston; Chris Burns; Electorate Brennan; Peter Chandler; Electorate Greatorex; Matt Conlan; Electorate PortDarwin; John Elferink; Electorate Braitling; Adam Giles; Electorate FannieBay; Michael Gunner; Electorate Stuart; Karl Hampton; Electorate Wanguri; Paul Henderson; Electorate Daly; Rob Knight; Electorate Karama; Electorate Barkly; Gerry McCarthy; Electorate Arnhem; Electorate Blain; Terry Mills; Electorate Goyder; Kezia Purick; Electorate Arafura; Marion Scrymgour; Electorate Sanderson; Peter Styles; Electorate Fong Lim; David Tollner; Electorate Casuarina; Kon Vatskalis; Electorate Nhulunbuy; Lynne Walker; Electorate Katherine; Willem Westra Van Holthe; Electorate Nelson; Gerry Wood
Cc: research@afant.com.au
Subject: Northern Territory Vessel Identification Scheme (NTVIDS)
Attn: Members of the Legislative Assembly,

I write to you asking that you desist on any moves to support the Northern Territory Vessel Identification Scheme (NTVIDS), proposed in cabinet.

As residents of the Northern Territory and as voters, I & my partner will be using our vote at the upcoming election to support the party that protects our rights as recreational fishermen. This legislation is detrimental to the Territory way of life and will further hinder the rights of all territory residents who wish to provide fresh fish on the table for their families. I find it impossible to believe that anybody thinks the existing resources available for the enforcement of the proposed NTVIDS would make one iota of a difference to the safety of boat users. All they have to look at is the numbers of unregistered, uninsured motor vehicles & unlicensed drivers that are on our roads and the resources that are available to enforce regulations that are in place to make the roads safer. I believe that the death toll this year far exceeds last years, so what are the same resources going to do when they have all waterways to also enforce.
I for one have completed both the Small Craft Safety Course & the Coxswain’s Certificate here in the NT. I am of the opinion that most reasonable boat users are safe on the water, it is the ratbag element that make the waterways unsafe, they have no sense of responsibility & are more likely to drive unregistered vehicles & be unlicensed. Educate this lot & we may achieve safer roads & waterways.

It is clear that the introduction of the NTVIDS is a money grab and will do nothing to increase public safety or provide better facilities for the law abiding fishing community. Should you choose to support the introduction of this un-Territorian legislation, you will lose my confidence and my vote in the 2012 election.

I look forward to receiving your response,

Many Thanks,

Regards,"

From Chris Makepeace,
Executive Officer
Amateur Fishermen's Association NT Inc.


Hi Everyone

A big thank you to everyone who responded to our request for feedback on the boat registration issue. I have never seen such a quick and decisive response from fishos on any issue in the NT before. In 24 hours we had more than 100 email responses or posts on the Fishfinder website. I have compiled all the comments and it runs to 25 pages! The AFANT Committee met last night and instructed me to send all the (responses with names removed) to each of the Territory’s Labor Ministers and MLAs. I did that last night and a copy is attached for your information. It contains copies of the email responses received by AFANT.

There are just too many replies for me to get back to you individually but please give me a call if you want to discuss anything in particular.

Your feedback was pretty clearly against this proposal. 75 people said the proposal should not be supported. 10 said they were OK with it. 12 said they would support it if any revenue was returned to recreational fishing development. Two people said they would support it if registration was at no cost.

In comments received, 20 people said they thought this was just a revenue raising tactic on the part of the NT Government. 31 people made specific criticisms of the Government in their responses. There are also some pretty scathing comments on other forums including blogs on the NT News Online.

We are now in discussions with Government to see how we might move forward from here. Given the clear level of opposition, the idea should simply be dropped and we have indicated to Government that is our preferred option. However, the Northern Land Council has told the NT Government that some form of boat identification is a “key requirement” in reaching a negotiated settlement for fishers to be able to access waters covered by the Blue Mud Bay decision without the need for individual permits and payments.

We have asked the NT Government to further discuss this issue with the Land Councils to see if some alternative arrangements would be acceptable and we have indicated that we are willing to have direct discussions with them if they wish. If the Land Councils agree to drop the requirement for boat identification we will urge the NT Government to cease any consideration of boat registration. If, however, the Land Councils are firm in their demands we will need to find some other way to resolve the issue. At some point we may well have to decide between paid permits and some form of boat identification scheme.

We will keep you informed as this issue develops.

***********

_________________