Cassy O'Connor MP | Greens' Leader
This morning Tasmania's new Labor Leader had the opportunity to tell Tasmanians that Labor is prepared to enter the 21st century on key environmental issues such as fish farm expansion. Unfortunately, Rebecca White failed to take that opportunity.
The Greens support community calls for fish farming to be truly sustainable, and genuinely 'world's best practice' - closed loop, on-land or far offshore if environmental standards can be significantly improved.
Labor has a new leader but, like the Liberals, they are still in the dark ages on environmental issues.
Ms White reiterated her support for fish farming at Okehampton Bay on state-wide radio this morning, despite the environmental damage caused by fish farming in Macquarie Harbour and D'Entrecasteaux Channel and in the face of strong community opposition.
Labor and the Liberals are clearly not listening to community and scientific concerns about unsustainable fish farm expansion. They're both still backing in Tassal's proposed development at Okehampton Bay.
Both the Liberals and Labor need to be called out on their slavish backing of fish farm expansion and their misleading claims that the industry in Tasmania is world's best practice. It's not. We're about twenty years behind leading fish farm nations such as Sweden which have moved their industry into closed-loop, on-land systems.
Closed loop is the industry's future in Tasmania, and it's where Labor and the Liberals should go on this issue. It's vitally important for the State's marine environment and the integrity of our clean, green brand.
We all want a salmon industry that Tasmanians can be proud of, an industry that is genuinely world's best practice.
As the State heads towards an election, only the Greens stand for the environment and actively protecting the State's clean, green brand and the long-term jobs it creates.