Tanya Plibersek hurts, Leonardo DiCaprio pleads, Hanson-Young creates stink in the salmon debate

Tanya Plibersek is paying a personal political price for Anthony Albanese’s pro-salmon farming law, polling suggests, as a Hollywood superstar weighs in.

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Tanya Plibersek has suffered a ­significant drop in support in her electorate, while most of her constituents back potentially removing salmon farms from Tasmania’s Macquarie Harbour, contrary to new government legislation.

These are key findings of polling in the Environment Minister’s Sydney seat, obtained by The Australian, suggesting Ms Plibersek will pay a political price for this week backing in the Prime Minister’s pro-salmon industry laws.

The Senate is expected to pass that legislation – effectively killing off Ms Plibersek’s own review of salmon farm approvals in the western Tasmanian harbour – despite Coalition attempts to broaden the changes.

The Coalition was also seeking assurances from Anthony Albanese, after claims the legislation only survived caucus after the PM promised to resurrect Labor’s Nature Positive reforms in a second Labor term.

A prominent conservation lawyer meanwhile claimed the legislation was wide open to legal challenge, as Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio added his voice to calls for it to be voted down, and Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young held up a “rotten, stinking” dead salmon in the ­Senate.

Ucomms polling of 860 voters in Ms Plibersek’s electorate shows 61 per cent back removing salmon farms in Macquarie Harbour if necessary to save an endangered skate from extinction.

Of Ms Plibersek’s Labor base, 64.7 per cent backed such action.

In addition, the poll – which was commissioned by The Australia Institute and is compliant with polling standards – suggests the targeting of Ms Plibersek by green groups over this and other environmental issues has dented her popularity.

Ms Plibersek’s primary vote was recorded at 41.1 per cent; almost 10 percentage points down from the 2022 federal election.

While she should still win the seat with Greens preferences, the polling suggests voters were looking for independent options, with 74 per cent of undecided voters leaning this way.

“This polling shows how deeply unpopular this policy is – Australians clearly want our government to protect nature and to protect the Maugean skate, and not the salmon industry,” said Australia Institute Tasmania director Eloise Carr.

Ms Plibersek said she had “never taken my seat for granted”. “I’ve been out in my community talking about lower taxes for every taxpayer, higher wages, investing in women’s health, strong action on climate and the environment, cutting uni debt, record funding for schools and Medicare – and the feedback is that it’s exactly what they want their government to be focused on,” she said.

“If The Australia Institute wants to spend donor funds on push polling for the Greens party, it’s no wonder people don’t take them seriously anymore.”

The institute, which successfully requested Ms Plibersek undertake the review now being halted by the legislation, has obtained legal advice that the changes are open to challenge.

A threatened Maugean skate in Tasmania’s Macquarie Harbour

Under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (Reconsiderations) Amendment bill, to apply retrospectively, such reviews will no longer be possible once an activity has been “ongoing” for five years.

Prominent climate litigator David Barnden has advised changes to salmon farming in the harbour over the years could mean it is not regarded as “ongoing” – and therefore still open to ministerial review.

“The bill is so poorly drafted that it risks not even applying to the salmon industry in Macquarie Harbour; legal challenges are almost guaranteed,” he said.

The Coalition was on Wednesday seeking to reduce the bill’s exemption period from five years to one year and to expand the coverage to more decisions.

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young holds up dead salmon during Senate proceedings

DiCaprio used social media to back green groups in urging senators to vote down the changes, which passed the House of Representatives on Tuesday night.

The environmentalist said there was “an opportunity to shut down destructive industrial non-native salmon farms, protecting the Maugean skate” in a “shallow estuary off the Tasmanian coast (that) is one of the most important places in the world”.

A government spokeswoman said the legislation addressed a “flaw” in the EPBC Act. “We won’t be replicating that flaw in any future reforms,” she said.

Senator Hanson-Young accused the government of “selling out” its “environmental credentials for a rotten, stinking, extinction salmon”.