Department advice to dramatically reign in salmon farming from Macquarie Harbour to protect the Maugean skate and the National Heritage values of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area was defied by the Albanese government, new FOI documents reveal.
The Albanese government instead made a calculated move to betray the environment and water-down the nation’s environment laws by introducing and passing special legislation to protect the salmon industry.
Greens spokesperson for healthy oceans and Senator for Lutruwita/Tasmania, Peter Whish-Wilson:
“These revelations prove the Albanese government doesn’t give a fuck about the environment.
“The shameless self-serving actions of the Albanese government and its blatant disregard of expert scientific advice from within its own environment department is galling.
“Not only did the Albanese government ignore departmental advice on the urgent need to reign in toxic salmon farms from polluting Macquarie Harbour, it made a disgracefully calculated move to introduce laws to protect the dirty industry.
“Who knew reverse psychology worked so well on this deluded and desperate government?
“The Albanese government has shown over and over again it is more committed to protecting the profits of mega-polluting salmon companies than it is to preventing the avoidable extinction of an entire species.
“No further proof is needed to determine who this shameful government is really working for – but you’ve got to ask why? It reeks of pure cronyism and state capture.”