Albanese flags reform to protect salmon farming jobs but Coalition reckons it’s fishy

Anthony Albanese flags laws to protect salmon and other industries from the kind of review his minister is undertaking in Tasmania. Critics say he just ‘needs to lead’.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at a press conference in Hobart. Picture: NewsWire / Eddie Safarik

Anthony Albanese has flagged law reform that would protect industries from federal reviews of the kind being undertaken by his Environment Minister into salmon operations.

The Prime Minister on Wednesday visited two Tasmanian marginal seats – Braddon and Lyons – to make infrastructure announcements, ahead of the looming federal election.

However, he faced repeated questioning over Tanya Plibersek’s review of salmon farm approvals in the state’s Macquarie Harbour, as Labor insiders fear the review is cruelling the party’s chances in both seats.

Under questioning by The Australian, Mr Albanese left open the option that special legislation to ensure salmon farms in the remote western harbour could remain.

“We’ll consider legislation when we deal with it,” he said. “But I support the salmon industry, to be very clear – I can’t be more ­explicit than that.

“I support taking action to ensure that jobs continue to come from what is an important industry for Australia, and for Tasmania in particular.”

Bob Brown Foundation activists putting up a banner on a salmon pen in Macquarie Harbour.

He appeared to back the industry’s view that green groups should not be able to trigger the type of review of past approvals Ms Plibersek is undertaking in relation to Macquarie Harbour.

Mr Albanese rejected suggestions he was undermining Ms Plibersek, who must make a decision under the federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

He blamed the Howard government for the EPBC Act’s provisions. “The EPBC Act when it was put there, it wasn’t envisaged that something would have to have a pause that would result from something like agriculture,” he said. “It was envisaged that it was about stopping a road being developed.

“Stopping an activity like aquaculture is something that’s very different and that is something we want to reform – the EPBC Act – so it’s modernised and so that it’s effective.”

Labor last year did not support a Liberal private senator’s bill that would have curtailed these ­reviews.

Mr Albanese would not say whether any Labor legislation would be retrospective, to nullify Ms Plibersek’s salmon review.

He would be “breaking the law” if he interfered ahead of his minister’s decision. “It is her responsibility,” he said. Ms Plibersek has said she will make a careful decision based on science and the law.

A Maugean skate in Macquarie Harbour.

Mr Albanese said he supported salmon workers in the harbourside town of Strahan, which he visited late last year. “I’ve supported that community and supported jobs in Tasmania for my entire ­political life; I’ll continue to do so,” he said.

The Coalition accused the Prime Minister of creating uncertainty for the $1.4bn industry.

“Anthony Albanese is supposed to lead this government, he is the Prime Minister, yet for more than a year he has failed to take charge,” said Coalition environment spokesman Jonno Duniam.

“Talk is cheap.”

Salmon Tasmania chief executive Luke Martin said it appeared Mr Albanese shared the industry’s view that salmon pens and the endangered Maugean skate – the key factor in the Plibersek review – could coexist. “It sounds like the PM … also understands the growing frustrations with this prolonged, uncertain and divisive EPBC review,” Mr Martin said.

Greens senator Nick McKim called on Mr Albanese to “come clean”.

“Is he going to keep backing the profits of foreign fish farm corporations or will he take action to protect the Maugean skate from extinction?” he said.