What happened to the fish Sarah Hanson-Young shook in front of her chamber mates

Sarah Hanson-Young’s dead salmon show in parliament has drawn the ire of many, including those who shop in the same aisles where it was bought.

Sarah Hanson-Young has revealed what became of the dead salmon used in a controversial stunt during a Senate sitting on Wednesday.

Senator Hanson-Young made headlines after pulling a Tasmanian Salmon from under her desk during a heated Senate debate on Wednesday about new changes to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

Now, she has revealed what happened to the fish used in the stunt, purchased from Costco, revealing to ABC Radio Adelaide that she gave it a fitting resting place.

“It’s been buried in the backyard here in our place in Canberra,” she said.

“Hopefully it’ll give the lemon tree a good boost.”

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

Senator Hanson-Young shocked her Senate colleagues on Wednesday, producing the decapitated salmon in a plastic bag, while shouting, “On the eve of the election, have you sold out your environment credentials for a rotten, stinking extinction salmon?”.

It came after she had previously accused the Albanese government of “stitching up a deal” to protect the salmon industry from environmental appeals with the new bill.

“Labor came into government promising to strengthen our environment laws. Isn’t it true that once these laws pass this place… environment laws will be weaker?” she said.

“Now that the rotting, toxic salmon industry has a carve out from our environment laws, what toxic industry will be next? Coal? Gas? Forestry?”

Senator Hanson-Young told the ABC there are “no standing orders against salmon”, but that she removed the prop when instructed by the Senate President.

Labor Senator Jenny McCallister, who was representing Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek in the Senate, told the chamber that “Australians deserve better from their public representatives than stunts”.

Senator Hanson-Young’s office said no taxpayer funds were used to purchase the fish, which is understood to cost around $70 at Costco, and that the fish was buried as it was not fit for consumption after its use in Parliament.

They did not comment on the appropriateness of using the fish as a prop during a cost of living crisis that has seen many Australians struggle to put food on the table.

The Advertiser went to a Costco similar to the one where Senator Hanson-Young purchased the fish.

Many shoppers there were not impressed with the stunt, saying that it was inappropriate and a waste of seafood.

“It’s ridiculous,” one shopper, who wished to remain anonymous, said.

“They’re supposed to be representing us, not making fools of themselves.”

Originally published as What happened to the fish Sarah Hanson-Young shook in front of her chamber mates