Comments attributable to Tabatha Badger MP, Greens member for Lyons:
Several hundred Tasmanians have rallied in Cremorne Beach, calling on the Liberal Government to stop the expansion of polluting fish farms in Storm Bay, Frederick Henry Bay and Norfolk Bay. Community groups, surfers, fishers and families all stood united against an industry no one wants and the area definitely doesn’t need.
This follows packed public meetings in Sandford and Dodges Ferry against salmon farm expansion. The Greens recently tabled a petition with over 4000 signatures gathered by Friends of the Bay in protest of Petuna’s proposal for 50 open-net salmon farms off Yellow Bluff in Storm Bay.
Residents have seen the fouling of our waters in the Huon, Channel, Tasman Peninsula and Macquarie Harbour, and they will do whatever it takes to keep their treasured bays pristine.
The dispute over keeping our waterways healthy has gone on too long. It should never have fallen to community members to fight Eric Abetz, and the Liberal Government who have put the commercial interests of their corporate donors ahead of people and the planet.
It’s past time the Liberals respected the calls of Tasmanian communities, halted the expansion of fish farms and stopped gifting our precious waterways to large, destructive corporations.
Comments attributable to Senator Nick McKim, Greens Senator for Tasmania:
Multinational salmon corporations are being allowed to expand in public waters all around the state, thanks to the complicity of the Liberals and Labor.
The result is the loss of public access, enormous damage to the marine environment and grave threats to species like the Maugean skate and Red handfish.
Multinational corporate profit cannot be allowed to continue poisoning marine ecosystems and driving species to extinction.
We urgently need to stop the expansion and get the fish farms out of inshore waters and on to land in closed loop systems.
The Liberals and Labor have been captured by the industry and have sold out the environment, as well as communities who are crying out to be heard like today at Cremorne.
Today’s event shows the depth of community anger and that Tasmanians are prepared to fight for healthy oceans and the places they love.
The Greens will fight alongside them today and every day.
