27 March 2025

The Coalition has secured an outcome for which it has been calling for more than a year, after it facilitated the passage on Wednesday of a Bill to protect Tasmanian salmon workers from a disastrous Labor review that threatened the entire existence of their industry.

This move finally puts an end to that nightmarish review that was instigated when Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek gave in to activists’ demands in November 2023 to review all salmon operations on Macquarie Harbour.

Ultimately, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had to respond to Coalition demands to fix a mess of his Government’s own making by trampling over his Environment Minister’s review with workaround legislation.

But, in what was clearly a political move to help their fortunes in Braddon and Lyons, the Government took until the very last possible opportunity – on the final Senate sitting day before the election – to get the legislation through the Parliament. For Labor, it was never about standing up for salmon workers, it was always about politics.

Shadow Environment Minister Jonno Duniam has long voiced his concerns over Labor’s treatment of salmon workers and is relieved on behalf of Tasmanians, “Labor were brought kicking and screaming to fix this problem of their own making. This would all have been fixed some time ago if Tanya Plibersek had simply ended her activist-initiated EPBC review.”

“Though it is late in the piece, I am relieved for honest, hardworking Tasmanian salmon businesses and workers that we can put this sorry saga behind us.”

“The Coalition has always stood up for salmon workers. The Prime Minister only eventually created his legislation because he didn’t want to lose votes in Tasmania, and rode roughshod over his own Minister in the process to get a political fix through.”

“The mistreatment of Tasmanians during this sorry saga has been appalling.”

Senator Duniam is also warning Tasmanians that the bitterly divided Labor Party still posed a significant risk to salmon workers. This follows news that its left wing forced the Prime Minister to rekindle its flawed, Federal EPA that could have devastating consequences for Tasmania.

“Nothing is certain with the Labor Party if they are re-elected. These laws could easily be changed or unpicked with their natural governing partner, the Greens, in a minority Albanese-Bandt Government.”

“Furthermore, a rekindled Federal EPA that Labor has recently committed to could be disastrous for this industry and wider Tasmania. It is entirely possible that they come after salmon workers again with this Federal bureaucracy.”

“The only way to avoid further uncertainty, unpredictability and threats to Australian jobs is to vote for the Coalition, who will never sell out to activists.”

ENDS