Nets Out Now Community Events for Summer 2022

It's not just conservationists and scientists that want the shark nets gone. It's also the regular person who understands that shark nets cause a lot of harm to animals and our environment and don't safeguard human safety. There is no evidence that shark nets keep anyone safe.

There have been even more whale entanglements in Queensland (QLD) this year, taking the total number for this year's humpback whale migration season to 10, further rallying support for our message.

August 2022 was a bit of a crazy month in the Nets Out Now campaign.

Things had been looking promising to stop New South Wales (NSW) shark nets from returning to beaches this summer. Unfortunately, the News Corp media seem to have spooked the NSW Fisheries Minister (Dugald Saunders) into a backflip at the last minute after a week of relentless reporting against the idea. The shark nets returned to the water on 1 September.

We understood that the NSW Environment Minister (James Griffin) was working behind the scenes to ensure no nets this summer. However, Mr Griffin did not achieve this and has not yet made any public statement supporting nor opposing the shark nets or about the decision for them to be set back in the water on 1 September 2022.

In NSW shark nets are removed from May to August each year, for part of the humpback whale migration season.

James Griffin has also failed to respond to a letter-writing campaign where hundreds of supporters asked him to terminate the Joint Management Agreement, an agreement whereby his department permits the shark nets to operate. Instead, he seems intent on hiding on this issue and for this not to become his problem.

Still no public statement from NSW Environment Minister James Griffin supporting nor opposing the shark nets

The nets returning to NSW waters sparked snap rallies from Nets Out Now Coalition member organisations and other supporters in Manly, Byron, Gold Coast and Central Coast on 1 September 2022. Big shoutout to those that made this happen! The turnouts were terrific, given it was a Thursday morning, and the media pick-up was excellent. The tide is turning, and together we can accelerate it.

Friendly and welcoming community events

In the aftermath of these tension-filled couple of weeks and these snap rallies, we want to provide a clear path to "what's next" to maintain momentum and passion. For this reason, we subsequently created Nets Out Now Community Events for 3 December 2022 in Sydney and 10 December 2022 on the Gold Coast that supporters can look forward to. We ask that you start rallying your friends and family to attend. So save the date!

3 December 2022 : Sydney Nets Out Now Community Event

10 December 2022 : Gold Coast Nets Out Now Community Event

Everyone is welcome to take part in the Nets Out Now Community Events! They will be family-friendly events so that the whole community can take part.

Getting hundreds or even thousands of people to indicate their interest in attendance on Facebook in the coming weeks and months is critical. It will start to make State Governments very nervous about the community event. Because thousands attending will be a giant leap forward for the Nets Out Now campaign.

It's time state governments understood that it's not just conservationists and scientists that want the shark nets gone. It's also the regular person who understands that shark nets cause a lot of harm to animals and our environment and don't safeguard human safety.

This campaign is at an all-time high in public awareness and support, yet there is still no action from the Government. Instead, key stakeholders such as Environment Ministers and Premiers hide from the issue, leaving it to the Fisheries ministers to face the music. So for them, there is no political risk in keeping the nets, only political risk in removing them.

We need to shift that paradigm and not allow Premiers and Environment Ministers to hide anymore. It is their voters that want these nets gone, and it is their voters who will punish inaction on this issue.

More details will be released in due course, but please save the date if you care about the ocean and your safety at the beach. It's time to show the NSW and QLD State Governments that we expect them to respect the locals!

We need to show the Government that it's not just conservationists and scientists that want the shark nets gone. It's also the regular person who understands that shark nets cause a lot of harm to our environment and don't safeguard human safety. It's time for a modern approach.

Together we can achieve something big, especially if we can get attention-grabbing attendance numbers that have never been seen in QLD and NSW. Our goal is for thousands of people to join together, celebrating community, and make it clear that we all want the shark nets gone forever.

Save the date

More details will be released in due course including exact locations, but please save the date if you care about the ocean and your safety at the beach. It's time to show the NSW and QLD State Governments that we expect them to respect the locals!

We are in the early planning stages for two large-scale community events opposing Shark Nets. The events will be held in Sydney and on the Gold Coast, with exact locations to be finalised.

Help wanted

We know the community is heavily against these nets, so we plan to give communities a fun and inclusive event to come and express that opposition.

Please email netsoutnow@envoyfilm.com.au if you:

• are a local band that would like to perform

• are a local business that would like to have a stall

• are a local food truck that would like to offer food and beverage

• are a local business or organisation that would like to co-host one or both events on Facebook

• would like to join local organising working groups

• would like to promote the events

We welcome absolutely everyone to play a part. Let's keep at it!