15 April 2016
The Hon. Niall Blair MLC
Minister for Primary Industries
GPO Box 5341
SYDNEY NSW 2001
Dear Minister
RE: DPI FISHERIES COMPLAINTS HANDLING PROTOCOLS.
Does the complaints’ handling policy on your website under the banner of NSW Trade and Investment apply to NSW DPI Fisheries staff?
On Monday 14th March 2016 at 7.30 am I sent by email correspondence to Mr Peter Gallagher, Programme Leader – Marine Protected Areas, an official complaint that a statement in one of the Hawkesbury Bioregion’s accompanying documents “Review of 15 Pre – identified Sites” was false – to wit
“Rationale for excluding spearfishing was based on research from the U.S.A. at the time of declaration (1982) which indicated that this fishing method makes fish less approachable by passive divers wanting to photograph or study them (DPI internal 1979)”.
A copy of this correspondence is enclosed. To this date I have not received an acknowledgement or response from Peter Gallagher.
Dot point 4 of the complaints handling policy requires all complaints to be acknowledged and complainants kept informed about the progress of the matter, particularly if delays occur.
This protocol has been ignored – Further under the section RESPONSIBILITY FOR COMPLAINTS INVESTIGATION it names the Executive Director FISHERIES NSW and goes on to require “Branch head to ensure complaints are thoroughly investigated and reported on _ _ _ _ and the complainant advised of outcomes within one month.
Again this has not occurred.
Could you please advise on why my complaint has been treated with such appalling indifference by your fisheries department?
It is of importance to spearfishers that the injustice perpetrated by this snide and derogatory comment that unfairly stigmatizes this fishing activity is rectified.
Every day this claim continues in print compounds the damage.
Yours Sincerely
Melven Brown AM