Govt 'botched' shark catch-kill tender

The shark drum line and kill tender was not advertised properly and could open the WA Government to a legal challenge, the Greens say.

The Greens say the shark drum line and kill tender was not advertised properly and could open the WA government to a legal challenge. Source: News Limited

THE shark drum line and kill tender was not advertised properly and could open the WA Government to a legal challenge, the Greens say.

The State Government plans baited drum lines to catch and kill sharks longer than three metres, and has advertised a tender for professional fishers to deploy, manage and maintain them.

Greens MLC Lynn MacLaren said under the State Supply Commission policy on open and effective competition, a tender where the procurement would cost more than $150,000 must be advertised for at least 10 working days.

But Ms MacLaren said the $1 million contract had been advertised for only six working days from December 23 to January 3.

"Further, the government made a series of significant changes to the tender in an addendum on 30 December - halfway through the advertising period," she said.

"It's an environmentally irresponsible policy that won't save lives, so instead of proceeding with this rushed, botched tender process, we should spend the money on actions that do not kill threatened marine species, and protect people using the water."

A Department of Premier and Cabinet spokesperson said the shark tender was exempted from the minimum 10-day advertising period because of public safety.

"Under the State procurement policy, an exemption can be authorised where a state of urgency substantiated by the public authority renders the required time limit impracticable," the spokesperson said.

"The department authorised an exemption based on a public safety test."

The State Government announced its shark mitigation strategy last month after six fatal attacks in WA waters in two years. It includes baited drum lines a kilometre off the coast from September to April, and two monitored zones covering metropolitan beaches and parts of the South West.

The tender request said great white sharks, tiger sharks and bull sharks longer than three metres would be "humanely destroyed" while others would be released "where possible".

About 4000 people gathered at Cottesloe beach on Saturday to protest against the policy, which they call a shark cull.

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