Labor MP could face fine over abalone
22nd May 2007, 13:45 WST

A Labor MP could face fines of up to $10,000 after he was allegedly caught with an oversize haul of abalone outside the West Australian season.

Collie-Wellington MP Mick Murray is expected to be charged this week after fisheries officers found him with more than twice the legal bag limit of green and brown lip abalone last Friday near Augusta in the south-west.

Department of Fisheries regional services manager John Looby said Mr Murray was expected to be charged by summons.

State opposition leader Paul Omodei says Mr Murray should be sacked.

But Premier Alan Carpenter says while Mr Murray should face the full force of the law, he will not sack the errant MP.

"Mick Murray has behaved in a ridiculously careless way," Mr Carpenter said.

"It warrants a penalty under the law absolutely, but it does not warrant dismissal."

Under WA law Mr Murray could face a $5,000 maximum penalty for fishing abalone out of season and $5,000 for being over the bag limit.

Penalties also include payment of 10 times the prescribed value of the abalone over the prescribed limit of five per person.

Mr Murray was allegedly caught with 12 abalone.

A fisheries spokesman said abalone were valued at $90/kg and the prescribed value of seven abalone would be about $200.

The premier said Mr Murray was remorseful and had told him he was unaware of the regulations.

"Mick Murray should have been aware, there's no excuse for it," he said.

"He cites changes of the dates and carelessness.

"What he has done is inexcusable, unacceptable and sets a bad example."

Mr Murray served as a parliamentary secretary to the WA fisheries minister Jon Ford during the time the laws were changed to limit the abalone season and bag limit, but in a local government and regional development capacity.

Source : The West Australian