Australian Prime Minister backs salmon farming in Tasmania amid ongoing debate.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has voiced support for salmon farming in Tasmania’s Macquarie Harbour, highlighting its economic significance and job creation for the local community.
“I support salmon farming on Macquarie Harbour because it means jobs for Tasmania,” Albanese stated in a LinkedIn post, adding that the industry contributes both to the regional economy and Australia’s global exports.
Albanese reaffirmed his support for Tasmania’s salmon farming industry during a visit to Macquarie Harbour over the weekend, as pressure mounts over the environmental impact of operations in the area. The visit, which fulfilled a commitment made to local leaders, comes amid growing scrutiny over the industry’s impact on the endangered Maugean skate.
Touring the harbour with Tassal, one of Australia’s major salmon producers, Albanese emphasised the importance of the sector for local employment and economic stability. “We’ll do what’s necessary to support jobs here, and we want to make sure that these jobs are able to continue,” he told reporters.
Albanese’s visit follows comments made by opposition leader Peter Dutton last week, who pledged that salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour would continue even if the Maugean skate’s conservation status is upgraded to critically endangered. Albanese, however, steered clear of definitive promises regarding the industry’s future, deferring to Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek, who is currently considering whether to review operations.
“The government of the day has to comply with the law otherwise the law intervenes,” Albanese said. “It’s not a matter of convenience, the law applies.”
The Macquarie Harbour salmon farms are a major employer in Tasmania’s west coast communities, but the operations have faced sustained criticism over their environmental impact. Conservation groups, including the Bob Brown Foundation, have called for the removal of fish farms to protect the harbour’s delicate ecosystem, citing the declining health of the Maugean skate.
Greens senator Nick McKim accused both Albanese and Dutton of engaging in a “race to the bottom of Macquarie Harbour,” while Tasmanian Resources Minister Eric Abetz criticised Albanese’s failure to offer a clearer commitment, calling him the “Grinch who stole Christmas from the people of Strahan.”
Despite Dutton’s assurance that farming would continue, he has yet to outline how a Coalition government would respond to potential recommendations for reduced or paused operations.
Locals attending a Christmas function sponsored by the salmon industry over the weekend expressed appreciation for Albanese’s visit but stressed the need for clarity to resolve the uncertainty surrounding the harbour’s future.
The visit underscores the political significance of Tasmania’s marginal seats ahead of next year’s federal election. Lyons, an ultra-marginal electorate, remains a key battleground, while Labor also hopes to regain Braddon and Bass, currently held by the Liberals by 8 and 1.4 per cent margins, respectively.
