8 June 2026: After the third horrific death in as many weeks of another spearfisher mauled by a shark this weekend, Federal North Queensland MP Bob Katter has demanded government scientists and fisheries officials start prioritising human life over protection of maneaters by helping to restore Australian shark fisheries – which play an integral role in balanced management of shared marine environments – amid escalating reports of exploding populations and aggressive depredation at epidemic levels in recreational hotspots.
Leading calls for an immediate cull and regulatory reform following a Far North Queensland spearfisher’s tragic death on 24 May – the weekend after a Western Australian spearfisher was killed at a holiday island off Perth – Mr Katter said anecdotal reports of record negative interactions ranged from the southern states’ massive maneaters to the notoriously aggressive ‘bull’ sharks infesting Queensland’s fresh and saltwater playgrounds.
Extending his condolences to another family in mourning and the south-western community left reeling from Australia’s third fatal shark attack on divers in three weekends, Mr Katter was the only MP to speak in Federal Parliament last week on the back-to-back loss of lives – condemning the “criminal stupidity” of the “fascist-like arrogance and fairytale land imposed on us by the greenies and wokies, and the Liberals and Labor going down the same path” in enabling bureaucrats to tip the natural and regulatory balance in favour of deadly predators.
“You, whose shoe leather has never set foot off a concrete pavement, are telling us how nature should operate in North Queensland… telling people who have lived up there for 40,000 years what we can and can’t do,” asked an incredulous Mr Katter. “You think it’s a good idea that sharks can eat us, but we cannot eat them? It’s a rather quaint notion! But I’ll tell you what: they’re pretty hostile towards you. I don’t recommend you go there.”
Demanding the reversal of regulatory bans and barriers on Australia’s shark fisheries to help restore ecological balance and deliver a sustainable food source, Mr Katter said North Queensland businesses and residents had warned the Kennedy electorate offices and his fellow North Queensland State MP for Hill, Shane Knuth, of endemic levels of bull shark depredation for the past two decades – destroying industry and public confidence.
“Many tourism and fishing advocates in the community have approached us with concerns that little or nothing is being done to protect our communities as a consequence of these attacks,” he said. “Now – for reasons we don’t fully understand, and we’re working on that now – there’s been an explosion in shark numbers. So we’re asking for advice from the Australian Fisheries Management Authority, CSIRO and State Fisheries, about what they’re doing right now for Queensland and other coastal communities around the country; and what they intend to do in the future, about the exponential depredation on spearfishers’ and line catches, alongside the increasing mortality rates and negative interactions that are leaving people reluctant to get in the water.
“We want to know what can be done – and what is being done in other international jurisdictions – to provide community confidence that recreational activities can continue and put ‘fish on the table’ rather than leave ‘fish heads in the boat’ from shark depredation. We used to have thriving fisheries to manage these waters but successive governments allowing ideology to override reality are squarely to blame for these terrifying deaths.”