The Greens have called Prime Minister Anthony Albanese a “sellout” for taking the side of the Tasmanian salmon industry and promising protect it.
The federal government will ensure “appropriate environmental laws are in place to continue sustainable salmon farming”, Albanese said on Saturday.
The decision is welcome news for the industry and its workers on the West Coast after months of uncertainty.
“When I got the call this morning, I couldn’t help but fist-pump the air,” West Coast Mayor Shane Pitt said.
“This is exceptional news and exactly what we’ve been asking for the past 18-months. Our community here on the West Coast, especially in Strahan, will breathe a collective sigh of relief.”
Premier Jeremy Rockliff also praised the federal government for providing certainty on the future of the key West Coast industry.
“I’ll never stop fighting for Tassie jobs,” he said. “While today is an important step, this could have been achieved long ago and we will continue to do all we can to support our workers across all industries.”
Tasmanian Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff was less supportive, blasting the decision as “shameless” and “scandalous”.
Her colleague Senator Nick McKim said Albanese should be prepared for the move to “play very badly” at the looming federal election.
“Tasmanians have always voted for the environment and will do so in even larger numbers after this shocking environmental sellout,” he said.
