THE FISHING PARTY

Only fish to your needs

A Message from the Founder

My name is Robert Smith, I am the founder of THE FISHING PARTY and a concerned angler with over 40 years recreational fishing experience in NSW,  throughout Australia and along the Bensbach River in New Guinea.

In no relation to this political party I have been a member of the Australian Anglers Association for some 20 years with the distinction and privilege of being President General for a 2 year period and the NSWFCA State President since 1998.

You may have heard of me through the popular press or through my contributions to fishing via the numerous committees or the preceding associations to which I have volunteered my time.

Along with a committee of recreational anglers I have committed myself to forming this political party because I believe that the fishing community and all recreational user groups need honest

informative representation in the Parliaments of Australia for the everyday person and to put a sensible balance to the anti-fishing/recreation lobbyist. This approach is not new however our party is active on a number of fronts that support family outdoor recreation, is conservation focused whilst maintaining sensible sustainable use of the amenity that we have in managing our marine resource.

When you think about it the governments spend many hours promoting our national wonders to people, home and abroad, while at the same time giving ground to lobby groups who may, or may not, have sensationalised the need to restrict access to resources enjoyed by the average family on the weekend. This can and must change if our children are to enjoy the outdoors as we have.

The Fishing Party plan is to do that openly and work to improve public facilities and to have a consistent direction and policy nationwide

Robert Smith

Information History:

The Fishing Party was formed in July 2000 and officially launched in August that same year at Byron Bay, NSW, Australia.

The formation of this political party came from years of frustration of pathetic fishery management where the resource was seen as an inexhaustible open paddock.

The introduction of the GST saw recreational fishing activities generating $3 billion to our national economy, meaning $300 million to be grabbed by the treasury to be divided amongst the States and Territories, for WHAT! The greatest and most destructive/wasteful demand on the resource (ie the consumer, exporter) plays no part either financially or ethically to it's management

All the while, the fishing community in most states were being held to ransom and the lobbyist's and radicals were gaining political support to close off the amenity that the community enjoyed   

THE FISHING PARTY became a registered political party with the Australian Electoral Commission on the 25th September 2001 with the regulation 500 members. 

On the 29th January 2002 the NSW Electoral Commission granted The Fishing Party political party registration with the accepted 750 membership

An invitation extends to all the Australian States and Territories to become part of this system with branch formation at state or local level. Here is your chance to put a halt to anti-fishing decisions and protect your rights and liberty and amenity.