Tasmanian salmon delegation heads to Canberra to lobby federal MPs against industry shutdown

A delegation of workers and community leaders from the West Coast will travel to Canberra to lobby politicians in favour of the salmon industry.

Salmon Association CEO Luke Martin speaks to the media on parliament Lawns on Tuesday August 20, 2024.

A delegation of workers and community leaders from the West Coast will travel to Canberra to lobby politicians in favour of the salmon industry.

The Save Our Jobs Delegation includes workers and science experts from Tassal, Petuna and Huon Aquaculture, the Australian Workers Union, the Mayor of Devonport Alison Jarman, the Mayor of the West Coast Council Shane Pitt and Salmon Tasmania CEO Luke Martin.

They will meet the Prime Minister and other ministers and members of parliament this week.

Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has been asked to reconsider approvals granted under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act in 2012 for marine farming expansion in the harbour.

It comes amid concerns about the impact salmon farming is having on the endangered Maugean skate. No date for a decision has been set.

Mr Martin the delegation would meet politicians to explain the importance of the industry for the region.

“These people, live, work, love and are deeply invested in the environment for the West Coast,” he said.

“Most of them are residents of the West Coast who are spending a day-in, day-out on the harbour.

Tassal salmon pens, in Macquarie Harbour.

“They committed to the health of the environment. They certainly know the ins and outs of Maugean skate.

“They have mortgages, they have kids at the local school, they coach the Auskick team in the local community.

“They know that if Tanya Plibersek is forced into making a decision that is adverse to the industry all that ends – and it happens quickly.”

Mr Martin said there was a lot of noise about the issue from Salamanca and from science boffins and Canberra and on social media from activist groups.

“These people whose lives are going to be impacted by any decision around future of Macquarie Harbour deserve the right to be able to have their voices heard by their political representatives in Canberra,” Mr Martin said.

West Coast Mayor Shane Pitt. Picture: Linda Higginson

West Coast Mayor Shane Pitt said he did not want his community to become collateral damage in a Labor Minister’s bid to win over voters in Melbourne and Sydney.

“This is our worst fear, to have a minister who is completely captive to environmental groups, voters in inner-city Sydney, and a bureaucracy that has never even been to Macquarie Harbour,” Mr Pitt said.

“I’m not going to sit on my hands and wait for them to come to us, I’m taking our fight directly to Canberra.”

Originally published as Tasmanian salmon delegation heads to Canberra to lobby federal MPs against industry shutdown