Fishing Party (Australia)
Encyclopedia
The Fishing Party is a minor Australia
n political party whose primary support base is found among recreational fishermen and women. The party was founded by Robert Smith in July 2000 and it has branches in several Australian states. It is headquartered in Singleton, New South Wales
.
The party’s major platform is the challenging of laws which it considers to be inappropriate to recreational fishing practices. The party’s motto is 'I FISH I VOTE'. TFP has protectionist leanings, in that it wishes to control risk to flora and fauna from infections carried by imports. It sees itself as an 'environmentalist' group with a priority on management and access rather than preservation. It therefore seeks to promote sustainable recreational fishing, with an emphasis on humans as being part of the eco-system, not apart from it.
After enlisting 500 members, the party achieved federal official party status on September 25, 2001. On enlisting 750 members, it achieved NSW official party status on January 29, 2002. On March 10, 2004, the Queensland
branch was launched and on May 13, 2004, the Victorian
branch came into being. The Fishing Party (Queensland branch) (TFPQ) achieved party registration in 2006, but not until after the 2006 Queensland State election. Nevertheless the TFP(Qld) endorsed 4 candidates as independents, and they averaged 8% of the vote, within their respective electorates. The Qld party broke away from the NSW based Federal organisation , using the deregistration of all small parties to register a new name and attempt to widen its appeal and voter base and is now registered with the AEC as Australian Fishing & Lifestyle Party and no longer has any connection with The Fishing Party. This registration is a current matter before the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and the federal court.
The federal party membership comes from NSW, Qld, Vic, SA, ACT, WA and TAS.
The Fishing Party contested their first NSW election in 2003 and in March 2007 campaigned heavily with their preferences responsible to oust the ALP in the seat of Port Stephens on Marine Park regulations. The party contested both those Upper House elections and gained 1.5% of votes for the Legislative Council
(Upper House). To date the party has not achieved parliamentary representation. The party has also contested the federal elections of 2001 2004 2007 in both the House of Reps and the Senate as well as local government council ballots
Founder, Robert Smith is a past Australian Anglers Association President General, and is presently the President of the NSW Fishing Clubs' Association.
Robert Smith contested the 2008 Lyne by-election
, receiving about 3.5 per cent of the vote.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n political party whose primary support base is found among recreational fishermen and women. The party was founded by Robert Smith in July 2000 and it has branches in several Australian states. It is headquartered in Singleton, New South Wales
Singleton, New South Wales
-Industry & Commerce:Major industries near Singleton include coal mining, energy generation, light industry, vineyards, horse breeding and cattle production. Dairying was once a mainstay in the area, but has declined....
.
The party’s major platform is the challenging of laws which it considers to be inappropriate to recreational fishing practices. The party’s motto is 'I FISH I VOTE'. TFP has protectionist leanings, in that it wishes to control risk to flora and fauna from infections carried by imports. It sees itself as an 'environmentalist' group with a priority on management and access rather than preservation. It therefore seeks to promote sustainable recreational fishing, with an emphasis on humans as being part of the eco-system, not apart from it.
After enlisting 500 members, the party achieved federal official party status on September 25, 2001. On enlisting 750 members, it achieved NSW official party status on January 29, 2002. On March 10, 2004, the Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
branch was launched and on May 13, 2004, the Victorian
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
branch came into being. The Fishing Party (Queensland branch) (TFPQ) achieved party registration in 2006, but not until after the 2006 Queensland State election. Nevertheless the TFP(Qld) endorsed 4 candidates as independents, and they averaged 8% of the vote, within their respective electorates. The Qld party broke away from the NSW based Federal organisation , using the deregistration of all small parties to register a new name and attempt to widen its appeal and voter base and is now registered with the AEC as Australian Fishing & Lifestyle Party and no longer has any connection with The Fishing Party. This registration is a current matter before the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and the federal court.
The federal party membership comes from NSW, Qld, Vic, SA, ACT, WA and TAS.
The Fishing Party contested their first NSW election in 2003 and in March 2007 campaigned heavily with their preferences responsible to oust the ALP in the seat of Port Stephens on Marine Park regulations. The party contested both those Upper House elections and gained 1.5% of votes for the Legislative Council
New South Wales Legislative Council
The New South Wales Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of New South Wales in Australia. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney. The Assembly is referred to as the lower house and the Council as...
(Upper House). To date the party has not achieved parliamentary representation. The party has also contested the federal elections of 2001 2004 2007 in both the House of Reps and the Senate as well as local government council ballots
Founder, Robert Smith is a past Australian Anglers Association President General, and is presently the President of the NSW Fishing Clubs' Association.
Robert Smith contested the 2008 Lyne by-election
Lyne by-election, 2008
A by-election was held for the Australian House of Representatives seat of Lyne on 6 September 2008. This was triggered by the resignation of National Party MP Mark Vaile. The by-election was held on the same day as the Mayo by-election, and the Western Australian state election.The writ for the...
, receiving about 3.5 per cent of the vote.