Lambie’s anti-salmon stance may cost her political career

During the election campaign, Jacqui Lambie told the salmon industry to ‘piss off’ out of her home state. Many of her former supporters have delivered her the same message at the ballot box.

Senator Jacqui Lambie at Ulverstone RSL Club. Picture: Simon Sturzaker

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Jacqui Lambie’s vociferous election campaign attacks on the salmon industry may cost her political career, with her vote slumping across her heartland and in key aquaculture areas.

Senator Lambie is sitting on half a quota based on first preferences and facing a tight, four-way preference contest for one of the last two Tasmanian Senate seats.

The Jacqui Lambie Network’s statewide first preference vote has fallen from 8.9 per cent at the 2019 election – when Senator Lambie last led her party ticket – to 7.2 per cent at the May 3 poll.

In the northwest electorate of Braddon, home to Senator Lambie and her traditional powerbase, the JLN first preference vote slumped from 15.6 per cent in 2019 to 9.3 per cent on May 3.

Far bigger negative swings – of up to 14 per cent – were recorded in voting booths where the salmon industry has a footprint.

“Jacqui blasted her local region on the national stage and the West Coast votes tell you exactly how they felt about that,” said former JLN senator-turned-independent Tammy Tyrrell.

“If you tell the country to boycott an industry and threaten local jobs in the process, you’re probably not going to be very popular in those areas.”

In comments during the campaign that angered the $1.46 billion salmon industry and its workers, Senator Lambie backed a boycott of their products, telling Australians: “Don’t eat bloody Tasmanian salmon.”

She suggested the sector, which the state government estimates directly and indirectly employs 5000 Tasmanians, should leave the island.

“We don’t want that bloody salmon farming in Tasmania, they can piss off,” Senator Lambie told a podcast with influencer Abbie Chatfield.

Senator Lambie’s opponents – and even some supporters – said the results represented a clear backlash and urged her to “build bridges” with the sector if re-elected.

Anthony Albanese and successful Labor Braddon candidate Anne Urquhart visit Tassal salmon pens in Strahan, Tasmania. Picture: NewsWire

In some Braddon “salmon booths” the JLN vote collapsed. In Strahan, on Macquarie Harbour, where a salmon farm approvals rethink by Tanya Plibersek threatened jobs, the JLN vote collapsed from 18.1 per cent in 2019 to 3.7 per cent.

In nearby Queenstown, it more than halved from 22.2 per cent in 2019 to 9.5, and in Rosebery slumped from 24.6 per cent to 11 per cent.

Senator Lambie’s home base of Burnie also swung heavily against her, with her first preference vote plummeting from 17 per cent in 2019 to 9.2 per cent.

The JLN picked up small increases in two more green-leaning southern electorates – increasing from 4.6 per cent in 2019 to 5.8 per cent in Clark, and from 5.2 per cent to 6.3 per cent in Franklin.

However, its vote shrunk in Lyons, from 9.6 per cent to 7.5 per cent.

And in some southern salmon booths the JLN vote took a significant hit, such as Dover, down from 8.7 per cent in 2019 to 4.2 per cent, and Huonville, down from 6.1 to 4.2.

State Labor leader Dean Winter contrasted Senator Lambie’s negative swing in Braddon with the 17 per cent positive swing achieved by successful pro-salmon ALP candidate Anne Urquhart.

“Tasmanian voters resoundingly rejected the political attacks on Tasmanian workers, their families and the salmon industry,” Mr Winter said. “Those who backed in the industry were overwhelmingly supported.”

Even some of those hoping Senator Lambie is re-elected believe she can only blame herself if she falls short.

“I know Jacqui and I know she’s passionate and gets fired up but I just think she picked the wrong topic to use as a platform to get votes,” said Devonport Mayor Alison Jarman, speaking in a personal capacity.

“I think without it (the salmon attacks) she would have done a lot better.”

Ms Jarman said Senator Lambie would need to build bridges with the industry and its workers if she did hold her spot.

“If she’s is going to be in Canberra, she’s still from here, she’s still a Tassie girl, and she needs to understand that industry a bit better,” Ms Jarman said.

Some within the salmon industry and politics believe Senator Lambie’s views have been influenced by her close friend and media adviser, Anna Bateman, a former anti-salmon campaigner.

Senator Lambie and Ms Bateman did respond to requests for comment.

With Labor having won two of the six vacant Tasmanian Senate seats, the Coalition one and the Greens one, there is a four-way preference-based tussle for the remaining two.

Those in the mix are Liberal Richard Colbeck (the Liberals have 1.65 quotas), Senator Lambie (0.5 of a quota), Pauline Hanson’s daughter Lee (One Nation has .35) and Labor’s third candidate Bailey Falls (Labor has 2.48 quotas).

Senator Tyrrell said working to address environmental concerns about the salmon industry, rather than shut it down, was the better strategy.

“People scream about shutting down salmon farming, but I don’t think it needs to be all or nothing,” Senator Tyrrell said. “I think there’s a way this industry can exist and operate sustainably at the same time.

“Salmon farms – and the jobs they provide – are essential to keeping the West Coast communities alive.”