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(The Questions and Answers Paper published for the first sitting day in each week will contain, by number and title, all unanswered questions, together with questions to which answers have been received on the previous sitting and any new questions. On subsequent days, new questions are printed, as are questions to which answers were received the previous day. Consequently the full text of any question will be printed only twice: when notice is given; and, when answered.)

Publication of Questions	Answer to be lodged by
Q&A No. 100 (Including Question Nos 923 to 943)	3 July 2001
Q&A No. 101 (Including Question No. 944)	4 July 2001
Q&A No. 102 (Including Question Nos 945 to 947)	5 July 2001
Q&A No. 103 (Including Question Nos 948 to 950)	10 July 2001
Q&A No. 104 (Including Question Nos 951 to 954)	11 July 2001
Q&A No. 105 (Including Question No. 955)	12 July 2001

955 ENVIRONMENT—NATIONAL PARKS AND WILDLIFE VESSEL—Mr Moppett to ask the Minister for Juvenile Justice, Minister Assisting the Premier on Youth, and Minister Assisting the Minister for the Environment representing the Minister for the Environment, Minister for Emergency Services, and Minister Assisting the Premier on the Arts—

(1) (a) Was a vessel commissioned by the National Parks and Wildlife Service to provide access from Narooma to Montague Island and surrounding waters?
(b) If so:

(i) What was the capital cost of this vessel?
(ii) What is the annual operating budget of that vessel including maintenance and repair and salaries for crew?

(2) (a) Did charter boat operators quote $100 per hour to provide an alternative service?

(b) Was this offer considered?

(c) Was it turned down?

(d) If so, why?


(3) Has the seal colony at Montague Island risen from under 100 to over 2,000 in recent years?

(4) (a) Have funds been applied to research into the local seal population?


(b) If so:
(i) What funds?
(ii) What proportion of the funds has been devoted to investigate non-harmful repellents for use by the local fishing industry?
(5) Has the National Parks and Wildlife Service made an application to the Commonwealth Government for funds under the Fisheries Research and Development program to conduct research into humane repellents to deter seals from predation on fishermen’s catches?

John Evans