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Better Boating, Better Fishing

VRFish, the peak body representing Victorian recreational fishers, is buoyed by the bipartisan support from both Labor and Liberal parties for improving recreational fishing and boating in Victoria via a range of long overdue and celebrated reforms.

If re-elected, Labor has pledged to return 100% of licencing and registration fees to boating safety and facilities, abolish all boating ramp parking and launching fees and establish a Better Boating Fund to fix the State’s failing boating infrastructure.

Likewise, the Coalition have committed to creating a Blue Infrastructure Fund to reinvest all boating revenue back into boating infrastructure and have made it their policy to abolish boat launching and parking fees.

Boating governance reforms will be supported with Labor establishing a dedicated boating infrastructure authority and the Coalition appointing the Victorian Ports Corporation to oversee, build and maintain marine boating infrastructure.

VRFish Chairman, Rob Loats said, “Our fishers are frustrated with the current state of our boat ramps and fixing our ramps through better governance and funding is a key priority within our Election Policy.”

The Victorian Government collects around $27 million annually from boat registrations and licenses, however, it is estimated that only $3 million per year is reinvested into boating infrastructure.

VRFish has strongly advocated for 100% of all boating registration and licence revenue to be held in a Trust Account to build, maintain and improve Victoria’s recreational boating infrastructure.

“We are elated that both parties have has listened to our concerns and provided bipartisan support to improving the boating experience for all of Victorians recreational fishers and boaters,”

“We have also been advocating for one single expertise-based agency to oversee, build and maintain our boating infrastructure as there are over 40 separate organisations managing Victoria’s boat ramps which has led to many ramps being neglected.”

Fixing Victoria’s boat ramps through boating infrastructure governance and funding reforms is a key priority in the VRFish Election Policy based on the priorities of Victorian recreational fishers. This demonstrates the benefit of having a strong and independent peak body.

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