15 December 2024
Anthony Albanese has failed to give Tasmanians the certainty that they deserve as he leaves Tasmania’s West Coast without guaranteeing that a decision on the salmon industry in Macquarie Harbour will be made before the end of the parliamentary term.
This is the second Christmas in a row that the town of Strahan and all the ancillary workers in the salmon industry will have an EPBC decision hanging over their heads courtesy of the Federal Labor Government. It leaves Strahan facing even more anxiety and uncertainty than at any time since November 2023, when the Federal Government caved to environmental activist groups by reviewing a 2012 EPBC decision by the previous Labor Government.
Shadow Environment, Fisheries and Forestry Minister Senator Jonno Duniam: “Tasmania wanted and needed an immediate answer from the Prime Minister and the Labor Government, but what we got was the same old story of ‘support’ when we need concrete action.”
“It is a cop out for the Prime Minister to come to Tasmania and to serve our hardworking men and women within the salmon industry with niceties and platitudes when it is his government that caved to activists by initiating this horrible EPBC review.”
“At any moment the axe could fall on Strahan. If the activists win in Strahan, they will come for Storm Bay and all the 5,000 workers in this industry. Labor can and should stop this immediately, but they have been all talk and no action.”
“It is unfair that regional Tasmanians are being thrown to the wolves at the hands of mainland activists.”
“The Braddon candidate’s view that the people of Strahan and the West Coast are not angry is extremely out of touch.”
“The Labor Government the candidate is a part of is the one that has the review hanging over the heads of constituents that she wants to represent. I encourage the candidate to reflect on these comments.”