2025-02-15
The Greens have slammed the Prime Minister’s announcement today that he will cave in to the Tasmanian salmon industry by weakening Australia’s environment laws if re-elected. The Greens will stand up for the environment and community this election against vested interests.
Nick McKim is Australian Greens Senator for Tasmania:
“Labor has backed in the profits of foreign salmon-farming corporations over Tasmania’s environment and the survival of the Maugean Skate.
“Australia’s environment laws are already too weak. To water them down even further to underpin corporate profits is an outrage and a betrayal.
“The Greens will fight any attempt to erode the protection of Australia’s environment with everything we’ve got.
“This will play very badly for Labor at the election, because right around the state Tasmanian communities are fighting to defend their coastlines from pollution and privatisation by industrial salmon farms.
“Tasmanians have always voted for the environment, and will do so in even larger numbers after this shocking environmental sellout.”
Australian Greens Spokesperson for the Environment Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:
“The Prime Minister has bulldozed environment laws and his Environment Minister, again. Last week it was caving in to the fossil fuel industry, today it’s the multinational salmon corporations.
“It is clearer than ever that Labor is too weak to stand up to vested interests and protect the environment and native species. They simply can’t be trusted to do the right thing, by the law or by nature.
“Instead of applying the law, the Prime Minister has told industry he will change the rules to suit them at the expense of the community and the environment. This is not leadership, this is a weak capitulation.
“Whether it’s protecting our marine ecosystems, native forests or koalas, neither Labor or Mr Dutton can be trusted - they will sell out to the corporations every time. Only the Greens in balance of power can save our native species and force Labor to act.”