The petition of residents of the State of Queensland draws to the attention of the House the carnage inflicted by existing "shark control" programs up and down the Queensland coast. Since 1962 shark mitigation programs have drowned over 85,000 animals in Queensland alone killing: sharks; dolphins; rays; and even whales. Footage of these deaths is routinely captured by Sea Shepherd Australia. Meanwhile, non-lethal water safety programs including the use of ocean pools, dedicated shark spotters and digital shark monitoring are proven to protect both humans and sharks. In South Africa, the use of drones to monitor shark movement has been effective in the prevention of incidents by keeping beach-goers informed of the presence of sharks.

Your petitioners therefore request the House to immediately cease the use of shark nets and drumlines. The House should commit itself to the protection of shark species for their own intrinsic value and the important roles they play in the ecosystem and Queensland eco-tourism.