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Labor Must Answer to Coastal Communities on Fish Farm Expansion


Dr Rosalie Woodruff MP

Dr Rosalie Woodruff MP  -  Wednesday, 1 May 2019

Tags: Fish Farms, Marine Environment, Environment, Okehampton Bay, Macquarie Harbour, Storm Bay

Rosalie Woodruff MP | Greens Environment spokesperson

When given the opportunity to articulate their policy on large-scale fish farm expansion ahead of the Federal Election, Labor failed. 

Dr Shane Broad spoke at length about the needs of the salmon farming industry, but the community was barely mentioned.  It’s still unclear where they stand - with concerned Tasmanians and the marine environment, or big salmon.

Coastal communities, recreational fishers and those who love the marine environment deserve better than weasel words from Labor.

Labor continues to refuse to clearly articulate their fish farm policy. It’s reasonable to ask exactly where they stand on the large-scale expansion of the salmon industry ahead of the Federal Election. Coastal communities want to know.

Dr Broad criticised those who opposed new salmon farms, implying there was no credible reason for standing against an industry’s desire to wholly take over public waterways.  There will be many people who live in the coastal communities of King Island, in his own electorate of Braddon, and around Norfolk Bay who would be outraged and upset at this view.

The salmon farming industry is planning to double in size, again, and many Tasmanians are rightly concerned about the impact on the marine environment and their coastal lifestyle.

Labor must come clean ahead of the Federal Election.  Do they support the degradation of Macquarie Harbour, the zombie leases revived at Okehampton and Norfolk Bay, potential farms off iconic surf beaches on King Island, and the massive expansion into Storm Bay?