5 November 2024
The Threatened Species Scientific Committee’s (TSSC) 12-month postponement of its assessment of the future of the Maugean Skate has no bearing on Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek’s separate EPBC review, it was discovered at a Senate Estimates hearing last night.
At a Monday evening hearing in Canberra, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water bureaucrats disclosed that they are “not waiting on the TSSC’s recommendation to the Minister on the uplisting (of the Maugean Skate’s endangered listing) in order to make the recommendation decision.”
Federal Environment Minister, Tanya Plibersek, could therefore make an immediate decision based on the recent scientific findings that have seen Macquarie Harbour’s health and the prospects of the Maugean Skate vastly improved.
Shadow Environment, Fisheries and Forestry Minister, Jonno Duniam:
“When the Minister kicked the can down the road last week by extending one of her two reviews into Macquarie Harbour, she clearly wanted to delay her decision until after the federal election, due by May next year. But after asking her Departmental staff about this in Canberra, it has become clear that the Environment Minister could make an immediate decision to end the uncertainty for our salmon industry workers. She does not have to wait for the outcome of the TSSC review.”
“The way that Labor are treating our West Coasters is cruel and with recent science coming to light, increasingly unnecessary. Oxygenation levels within the Harbour are the best that they have been in ten years and the Maugean Skate has greatly improved prospects.”
“Minister Plibersek has run out of excuses. She needs to make the decision today to end the uncertainty our communities are facing.”
“Tasmanian Labor representatives like Julie Collins and Anne Urquhart need to put a line in the sand. We are sick of their endless platitudes. We need action from Government representatives to save these jobs and this industry.”