Peter George will run as an independent in Franklin at the coming federal election

As a foreign correspondent he saw his fair share of conflict and now Peter George wants to enter the bear pit of politics. Read what he plans to do.

Peter George independent candidate for Franklin in the upcoming federal election. Picture: Lara van Raay

Anti-salmon farm campaigner and former foreign correspondent Peter George will run as an independent in Franklin at the federal election.

Mr George, who worked for the ABC as a reporter in Hobart before being posted overseas, returned to Tasmania 13 years settling at Cygnet in the Huon Valley.

He is the president of Neighbours of Fish Farming, and is expected to publicly launch his campaign in coming weeks, but spoke at a meeting in Huonville on Saturday afternoon.

“The reason for standing is that I’ve been working with my community in the Huon Valley for at least a decade, trying to protect our waterways and trying to restore our waterways from the pollution and the debris that industrial salmon farming has brought to it,” he said.

“As a journalist, I’ve tried to treat people with respect and with a degree of objectivity, but I’ve got to a stage now where I’m actually very angry about the way the community is treated everywhere.

“When we stood up to protect the Huon River, the Channel and Storm Bay, we learned how the corporate bullies and the weak, fawning politicians had sold us out.

“As a community we were ignored, denigrated, abused and told we were un-Tasmanian and didn’t care about jobs or Tasmania by politicians and lobbyists alike.

“I’m just sick of the bulls. t.”

Peter George, used to work as a foreign correspondent for the ABC in the Middle East. Picture: Mireille Merlet

Mr George says he believes voters are looking for change with pundits predicting a minority government after the election due before the end of May this year.

“The influence of independents and the cross bench will be so important,” he said.

“I may be just one voice among many but we need to demand better.

“I intend to speak for Tasmanians, for Franklin and for the things we value, for the things we need, for our way of life.

“I think we’ll give it a bloody good run.”

Mr George was the ABC’s first Middle East correspondent in 1981 and also worked as a European correspondent.

Tasmanian Alliance for Marine Protection Peter George holds a petition calling for an independent cost benefit analysis into the salmon industry and a professional business case to justify the expansion. Picture: Chris Kidd

He was critical of Labor’s Julie Collins, who has held the seat of Franklin for 17 years, for not meeting with his group.

However, it is believed Ms Collins at one time offered to meet with Mr George in her office.

She said it was “an extraordinary honour” to be the member for Franklin and try to improve the lives of Tasmanians.

Ms Collins said the Albanese government had delivered tax cuts for every taxpayer, energy relief, urgent care clinics, cheaper medicines and cheaper child care, HECS changes, free TAFE and millions to build more social and affordable housing in Tasmania.

“I never take my role for granted and will keep fighting for the remainder of this term for the people of Franklin and Tasmania and will continue to do so if I am elected again.”

Originally published as Peter George will run as an independent in Franklin at the coming federal election