More than 6000 people reportedly gathered on Hobart’s Parliament Lawns today for a ‘Vote Salmon Out’ rally, urging voters to place major parties last in the upcoming federal election.
The event, organised by the Bob Brown Foundation, brought together Greens and independent candidates in what organisers described as “a final united stand against toxic Tasmanian salmon”.
Addressing the crowd, Greens Senator Nick McKim said people “are going to send a message to the old political parties” this election.
“If you want things to change, we are going to collectively have to vote for it,” McKim said.
“We know thousands of people have had a gutful with the toxic salmon corporations”.
“Put one next to a party or a candidate that you know will stand up to toxic salmon farming corporations… Put the big salmon parties last, put the Labor and Liberal parties last.”
Independent candidate for Franklin Peter George promised to redirect $38 million of government funds currently used for the Macquarie Harbour Oxygenation Project to ensure workers on the West Coast can transition to other roles – if he is elected.
“Instead of squandering $38 million of dollars on blowing oxygen bubbles into Macquarie Harbour and rearing endangered Maugean skate in tanks, that money should be going into helping transition into land based production,” he said.
“That money should be spent on the transition from our waterways, retraining staff, encouraging small businesses and broadening the West Coast’s economy.”
Bob Brown said today’s protest was the largest anti-salmon rally of the election campaign.
“As with the Franklin River, we will end this threat to our waterways,” he said.
He raised concerns about Petuna’s proposed Storm Bay fish farm, claiming it threatens the critically endangered red handfish in Frederick Henry Bay.
“What Albo wants to do … is to put another brace of polluting fish pens just downstream of where these 60 fish are,” Brown said.
Salmon Tasmania CEO Luke Martin rejected the claims, accusing the Bob Brown Foundation of running a “scare campaign”.
“This baseless claim that the red handfish are now somehow under threat from salmon farming is just a cynical attempt to rinse and repeat their Maugean skate scare campaign,” Martin said.
“Today’s rally only demonstrates the Greens and the Bob Brown Foundation will say, spend and do anything they can to buy Peter George a seat in federal parliament,” he said.
“These activists don’t care about facts, or the livelihoods of 5,000 Tasmanian salmon workers and their families across regional Tasmania.”
Data released by Salmon Tasmania last week suggested consumption of salmon has reached record levels, with sales jumping seven per cent in major Australian supermarkets.
