Dr WOODRUFF question to PREMIER, Mr ROCKLIFF
Your government’s bungled management of the salmon mass‑mortality crisis shows just how badly you have been captured by this foreign‑owned industry. We now know salmon are dying from Piscirickettsia salmonis bacteria, the same illness that wiped out 90 per cent of the Chilean industry. This is a biosecurity emergency. You have allowed Tasmanians to continue swimming and fishing in waters filled with the decaying remains of heavily diseased salmon, while the gutless Environment Protection Authority (EPA) told people the rotting fish on beaches are good for you, just like fish oil tablets.
Your government has covered up and downplayed this outrageous biosecurity disaster, spreading disinformation and potentially caused harm not only to native fish, but to humans. You allowed the salmon industry to run roughshod over regulations and biosecurity restrictions and this is the result. Will you take accountability for this mammoth stuff‑up? What urgent action will you take to address this biosecurity crisis?
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER – Before the clock starts, if members have an issue with the content of a question in terms of its truthfulness, they have substantive ways of dealing with that and interjecting is not okay.
ANSWER
Honourable Speaker, I thank the member for her question. I point to my comments on Tuesday where I said that I expect accountability and transparency from salmon companies and that the salmon companies are on notice, and they are. In saying that, I also expect the highest possible degree of accountability and transparency and openness from the salmon companies because it is in Tasmania’s brand interests and Tasmanian salmon industry interests as well.
I acknowledge the community concerns with this matter, which is why I expressed the sentiment that I did on Tuesday. We also acknowledge that this is really challenging for the many hundreds of employees in the salmon industry. They are working diligently on what is a difficult and unfortunate circumstance and I feel for them as well.
The current salmon mortality event is largely due to an endemic bacterium that does not grow in humans and does not present a human or animal health or food safety risk. From an environmental perspective, the critical issue is the timely collection and management of fish residue in an improved manner.
These incidents are typically elevated during the summer months when warmer waters and other factors affecting salmon health are more likely to occur. Reports over recent months suggest widespread availability of nutrients along the east and south‑east coast of Tasmania, brought in by an east Australian current. I am advised some algae, jellyfish, and other marine organisms are known irritants to salmon gills and may lead to increased mortalities. The marine heatwave conditions have occurred in waters immediately east of Tasmania over the past two summers and contribute to an interannual variability of Storm Bay in particular.
The Environment Protection Authority remains the agency responsible for managing the fish mortality event and associated deposit of fatty substances in the D’Entrecasteaux Channel. Public Health is providing advice to the EPA. I am advised that testing undertaken by the EPA has demonstrated that fatty substances are derived from fish and/or fish oil, and the bacterial infection causing the mortality does not cause human disease. Public health alerts are issued when circumstances pose a significant risk of harm to health, particularly when the public may not recognise or understand the risk.
In the current circumstances, the well‑publicised presence of fish material on beaches ‑
The SPEAKER – The time for answering the question has expired. I will speak to the students for a moment. See how quiet it is when someone answers a question? Lovely, is it not? I will take the supplementary question from the Leader of the Greens.
SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION
Dr WOODRUFF – Speaker, I would like the Premier to be clear about his comment that Piscirickettsia salmonis is endemic in Tasmania. My understanding is that that is not true. It is a very important point. This is a biosecurity crisis. A new bacteria, confirmed yesterday as Piscirickettsia salmonis by the minister, Mr Abetz, is now in Tasmania. I understand the scientists say it has never been here before. Can you confirm that that is in fact true, and it is the same one that caused the Chilean outbreak?
The SPEAKER – It does arise from the answer that the Premier gave, so I will allow the question.
Mr ROCKLIFF – I have just outlined what I am advised. I can seek further clarification for you on that matter and provide that answer at a later time today.
The SPEAKER – I will just confirm that that matter is being taken on notice?
Mr ROCKLIFF -Yes.
