Rosalie Woodruff MP | Greens Environment spokesperson
The CSIRO issued serious warnings today about a looming health crisis from drug-resistant superbugs, caused by a wanton overuse of antibiotics.
This comes a day after RTI revelations that 45,000kg of antibiotic-laced salmon feed were tipped into Tassal’s Sheppard’s lease last year. Shortly afterwards, flathead caught two kilometres away, off Coningham Beach, had above threshold levels of antibiotics in them.
When we raised the matter in Question Time with Primary Industries Minister Jo Palmer, she refused to recognise the seriousness of antibiotic contamination of waterways. While the Minister says she will encourage better reporting, she's made no commitment to review or reduce antibiotic use in the fish farm industry.
So much for the Liberal’s alleged ‘world’s best practice’ salmon industry. Broad-scale dumping of antibiotics into public waterways is light years from that – when fish vaccination is the industry standard.
Minister Palmer is putting big salmon before the community. Just like her Liberal colleagues, she’s looking after mega-corporates at the expense of Tasmanians and the health of our marine waters.