Rosalie Woodruff MP | Greens Health spokesperson
The Tasmanian Government must undertake a thorough investigation of salmon farming processes as a matter of urgency, following advice that Tasmanian salmon has been confirmed as the source of a deadly listeria outbreak on the mainland.
Two people have died after becoming infected with listeria after eating Tasmanian salmon.
These people’s tragic deaths will have devastated their loved ones. On behalf of the Greens, I extend my sincere condolences to their families.
In March this year, Tasmanian salmon was also confirmed as the cause of a listeria detection in Queensland.
We have yet to hear anything from the government about the investigation which it was to have undertaken into the first outbreak.
Today we have the Premier and Minister for Primary Industries claiming that investigations have already cleared the salmon industry of any breach of national food safety standards in relation to these recent deaths.
A clean bill of health seems premature. Blameless people have died after eating Tasmanian farmed salmon.
Until the source is identified and information made publicly available, public confidence in the safety of Tasmanian salmon will be negatively affected.
There should be a rigorous health safety testing regime across the supply chain from pens to final product. This testing needs to be urgently undertaken by the State’s Health Department, with full transparency and public reporting.
People should be able to eat Tasmanian food with confidence that it will not make them unwell.