Tony Abbott has called for nets to be put in place to protect beachgoers in regional NSW.
The former prime minister and keen surfer waded into the debate about shark protection on Tuesday, arguing that it was unfair nets were in place off metropolitan beaches but not regional ones.
"I'm lucky to surf on Sydney beaches and beaches in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong (which) since the 1940s have been protected by mesh," he told 3AW.
"Now if it's good enough for Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, for the life of me, I don't know why it's not good enough for the north coast of NSW," he said.
The shark net row reignited again on Monday after 17-year-old Cooper Allen was bitten in the leg while surfing at Ballina's Lighthouse Beach.
It was the 11th shark attack on a 70km stretch of the north coast between Byron Bay and Evans Head since January last year.
Mr Abbott questioned why a commercial shark fishery had not yet been considered for the area.
"I don't know why we don't have a commercial shark fishery up there because frankly, if it's a choice between people and animal, I'm on the side of the people every time," he said.
Cooper recently spoke out against a proposed shark barrier trial for the notorious stretch across the north coast.
"We still go out there without the net, at our own choice. I don't think there is any need for it," he told NewsCorp earlier this year.
The teenager remains in hospital after receiving stitches for the shark bite to his upper thigh.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk offered to extend her state's successful shark drum lines and nets into northern NSW.
"We have the technology, we have the skills," Ms Palaszczuk said.
The premier said she was concerned about the increased visitor numbers to the notorious stretch of coastline coming up to the Christmas holidays.
"I think the NSW government has tried other methods, they have not been found to be working," she said.
She said there had only been one shark fatality in Queensland - off Amity Point - since 1960.
But Ms Palaszczuk said if Mr Baird took her up on the offer, the NSW government would need to pay for the extension.
