In Parliament, laws passed to reinstate broad search powers for fisheries officers to prevent overfishing.

I did not oppose the laws because we need to protect fish and invertebrate stocks for future generations but I am concerned that laws have been used on First Nations people practicing cultural fishing. When our fishing laws were introduced in 2009, a schedule was included to enshrine cultural fishing practices but this schedule has never commenced and a Parliamentary committee recommended its urgent enactment.

During debate I asked the government to stop over-policing First Nations fishing practices and enact laws that permit cultural fishing. I also pointed out that the government should do more to protect marine biodiversity by creating a comprehensive, adequate and representative network of protected marine parks with sanctuary zones, including across Sydney.