By William Ton
The prime minister has been accused of cynical pork-barrelling after announcing a multimillion-dollar cash splash to improve the water quality in a Tasmanian harbour to save an endangered fish.
Anthony Albanese on Tuesday revealed a $28 million plan for new measures in Macquarie Harbour, including $21 million to scale up oxygenation to offset the effects of human activities, such as salmon farming, on the Maugean skate.
There are an estimated 40 to 120 adult Maugean skates remaining in the wild, according to environmental campaigners, who labelled the prime minister’s announcement as a green light for the polluting salmon industry.
About $5 million of the funding will be invested in skate breeding programs which hatch eggs and raise juveniles for release while conservation efforts work to improve its habitat.
Another $2.5 million will go towards monitoring the skate population and compliance in the community.
Labor on Tuesday also announced Tasmanian Senator Anne Urquhart would be its candidate for the seat of Braddon, which covers Macquarie Harbour and is seen as a key political battleground at the federal election due to be held by May.
Conservation group Neighbours of Fish Farming accused the government of pork-barrelling and subsidising the polluting multinational salmon industry.
“The prime minister’s announcement of a $21 million handout to the salmon industry is in flagrant disregard for the science that shows the Maugean skate’s plight is directly linked to the industry’s polluting practices,” vice president Lisa Litjens said.
The group said it was a “cynical effort to buy votes” and called for the money to be invested in helping transition Tasmania’s West Coast community to sustainable jobs.
“The industry’s moguls will be delighted that they have conned the government into supporting a fossil-fuel heavy oxygenation experiment more likely to improve the health of caged salmon than protect the Maugean skate.”
Bob Brown Foundation campaigner Alistair Allan said it was outrageous the prime minister would hand over taxpayers’ money to “cover up the devastating impact of huge multinational companies in Macquarie Harbour who pay zero dollars in taxes”.
It has been a year since federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek triggered a review of aquaculture in Macquarie Harbour, the only home of the skate.
The government’s own conservation advice called for urgent action to eliminate or significantly reduce fish farming impacts on the harbour’s oxygen levels to help safeguard the skate.
A decision to increase the skate’s status to critically endangered was pushed back until after the federal election.
Industry groups and environmentalists said the delay left the future of salmon farming and the rare skate in limbo.
Mr Albanese said the Tasmanian salmon industry was the backbone of many regional communities.
“It’s essential we support the thousands of jobs it creates right across the state,” he said on Tuesday.
“To do that, it’s essential we have a sustainable industry which supports workers and the environment.”
Opposition environment spokesman Jonno Dunium wants the review dumped.
“This is not a solution to the uncertainty salmon workers face today. It is an elongation of a process that Canberra has forced on our workers that has gone on for far too long,” he said.
Tasmanian Industry Minister Eric Abetz welcomed the funding, but said it didn’t provide the much-needed certainty for hundreds of families whose livelihoods rely on the salmon industry.
The announcement builds on existing conservation efforts in the harbour, which is part of Tasmania’s $1 billion aquaculture industry.
Who can be trusted?
In a world of spin and confusion, there’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in Canberra.
If you trust our work online and want to enforce the power of independent voices, I invite you to make a small contribution.
Every dollar of support is invested back into our journalism to help keep citynews.com.au strong and free.
Thank you,
Ian Meikle, editor
Leave a Reply