The Tasmanian Greens are proud to launch our plan to help save the Maugean skate and support the Strahan community transition away from unsustainable fish farm operations in Macquarie Harbour. The Maugean skate has lived since the time of the dinosaurs. It is a remarkable creature we should celebrate and protect, but instead it has been pushed to the brink of extinction by massive industrial fish farming operations polluting its only habitat – Macquarie Harbour. The science and expert advice is clear – if the Maugean skate is to have any chance of surviving, fish farms must be immediately removed from Macquarie Harbour. We recognise the impact on workers and the Strahan community this would have if the move was not accompanied with proper leadership, planning, and support from the government. The Greens recognise the importance of supporting the West Coast community and the workers that would be directly affected by removing these fish farms.The multi-billion dollar international corporations that run Tasmania’s salmon industry don’t care about their workers’ futures, so we’re fighting to make sure the government steps in to protect their livelihoods. Our plan guarantees all 60 local workers in the fish farm industry will have a job going forward – on the West Coast, and at the same or better rate of pay than they’re receiving now. We’re putting forward a range of options for these jobs so each person can find something that suits them and their skills. Jobs on offer under our plan would include:
- Staff to work in a newly created West Coast Public Works Division
- Ongoing funding for extra permanent full-time positions with the West Coast Council
- Field officers and rangers for the Parks and Wildlife Service
- Staff to work for the Department of NRE in field activities for marine and river science
On top of the guaranteed public jobs on offer, we would also establish a Direct Wage Assistance Program. This will see the government provide $30,000 per year for four years for each former fish farm worker that is privately employed on the West Coast, providing even more flexibility for workers to choose a career path, and give a boost to local businesses.For people who want a different path again, we’ll provide financial assistance to workers to support them in undertaking apprenticeships, training, or university education to gain new qualifications and skills. This support would be given at a rate of $42,000 per year for three years – or twice the maximum rate of Austudy. To make sure workers and their families make it smoothly through this period, we’ll push to establish a dedicated Transition Team within the Department of Premier and Cabinet. This team will keep in touch with workers and provide any other guidance and support they need – whether that’s talking through the various opportunities available, career counselling, education resources, or just making sure they’re doing OK.We know the big corporations running the fish farms in Macquarie Harbour don’t care about what happens to the skate, the marine waters, or the workers in Strahan. They’re focused on maximum profits today above everything else.The government and salmon farming industry refuse to admit that as well as being devastating in itself, the extinction of the Maugean skate would also be terrible for local jobs and the economy. How many people would want to keep eating Tasmanian salmon if they knew it had sent an ancient species to extinction? What would this do to the Tasmanian brand and the jobs it supports?This is the reality of the situation, and it’s why there needs to be a plan to help save the skate and provide a positive future for workers and for the West Coast. That’s exactly what our plan would do.We hope Liberal and Labor politicians will get on board. The Greens full plan is available to read here.
