97% Failure Rate: Forensic Analysis by Envoy Foundation Finds KPMG Roadmap "Largely Ignored" by QSCP
- Andre Borell
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
The Envoy Foundation has officially released the 2025 QSCP Independent Annual Review, and the results are a wake-up call for every Queenslander who values both beach safety and marine conservation.
While Minister Tony Perrett recently claimed that "no one method on its own will deliver safer beaches," our analysis reveals a starkly different reality on the ground. For the vast majority of our coastline, the government’s 2025–2029 Shark Management Plan relies on exactly one method: shark fishing.
The Illusion of Safety
Despite Minister Perrett recently stating that "no one method on its own will deliver safer beaches," the report reveals that his 2025-2029 Shark Management Plan delivers exactly that for the vast majority of the state. A staggering 87% of the current program (78 out of 88 beaches) has been left to rely on only one single, disproven method: shark fishing.
The report details a record-breaking cull of marine life, systemic legal failures, and a blatant disregard for independent scientific recommendations in favour of political optics.
The True Cost of the 2025 Cull
A Record-Breaking Cull: The 2025 program saw a 121% increase in total catch from the previous year, logging 3,630 animals.
Ineffective Safety Proxy: While the government uses the number of sharks killed as a "proxy" for safety, a fatal shark bite occurred in 2025 at Bribie Island, a beach protected by 18 traditional drumlines.
Ecological Failure: Of the animals caught, only 37% were target species. Non-target victims included 13 humpback whales, 18 dolphins, and 47 turtles.
Ignored Expertise: The Envoy Foundation’s analysis of the 33 recommendations in the 2024 KPMG report found that 24 were executed unsatisfactorily, while only one was satisfactory.
Legal Fragility: The report suggests the QSCP has operated for a quarter-century on a "precarious legal fiction," claiming exemptions that it appears ineligible for due to historical breaches of State and Commonwealth statutes.
Legal Fragility and Ignored Expertise
The foundation’s investigation suggests the QSCP has operated for 25 years on a "precarious legal fiction." The program claims exemptions from certain environmental statutes that it appears ineligible for due to historical breaches of both State and Commonwealth law.
In short: the government is spending taxpayer money on a program that is legally shaky and scientifically outdated.
“What I hope we’ve put together is a report that looks behind the curtain of a program that lacks transparency... we’ve put together a forensic analysis of both the policy platform and the operational inadequacies of an outdated and ineffective use of taxpayer dollars.” — Andre Borell, Founder of the Envoy Foundation
A Better Way: The Zero by 2030 Plan
We aren't just pointing out flaws; we are proposing a solution. The Envoy Foundation has developed the Zero by 2030 Modernisation Plan. This is a technology-led, non-lethal framework that prioritises human safety through scientifically validated methods.
The Modernisation Toolkit
Enclosed Shark Barriers: Real physical separation.
Expanded Drone Surveillance: Real-time monitoring and aerial alerts.
Personal Deterrent Rebates: Empowering water users with proven tech.
Fiscal Responsibility: Implementing these measures would cost significantly less than the current government budget.
A Call to Action
The Crisafulli Government has focused on flashy headlines rather than effective safety outcomes. Using shark catch numbers as a metric for safety is a fundamental scientific error when dealing with migratory species in an open ocean.
Our message to Minister Perrett is simple: Please, copy our homework. The path to safer beaches doesn't require more hooks; it requires better technology, more transparency, and a commitment to data over politics.
