Rosalie Woodruff MP | Greens' Marine Environment spokesperson
The Liberals' Draft Salmon Industry Growth Plan is an insult to concerned communities, a threat to our marine environment, and a danger to the long-term sustainability of the tourism, fishing and salmon farming industries.
The Liberals have used their same, old corrupted processes to map the expansion plan for this industry. Instead of an conducting an independent, scientific investigation into where salmon farming could cohabit with marine species, community and other commercial stakeholders, they've developed a plan that puts the short-term interests of the industry first.
This unsustainable draft plan is destined to entrench community conflict and destroy any hope for the social and environmental licences the industry desperately needs to retain consumer confidence. This is far from of "maintaining public confidence in the salmon industry,” as the Liberals' claim.
The Liberals' draft plan is a lifeline for an industry that's degraded the marine environment of Macquarie Harbour to the point they are being forced to find waters elsewhere.
The dead zones and damaged World Heritage values in that harbour have been on this Liberal Government's watch, after a Labor Minister set it in motion. Tasmanians are right not to trust either party with the marine environment.
The community won't buy a growth plan that apparently "bans" finfish farming on the East Coast, but allows it in Okehampton Bay. It's a Liberal farce, being backed in by Labor.
Labor were at pains to support the government's Draft Salmon Industry Growth Plan, even accusing the Liberals of stealing their policies.
As usual when it comes to environment, Labor and the Liberals are in lock-step supporting a boom-and-bust business model, rather than representing the interests of the whole community and environment for the future.
The community have only one month to respond to this Draft Plan and we encourage all concerned Tasmanians to make their feelings known, as the Greens will be.