Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Let's be clear: this matter of urgency is a stunt in the lead-up to the Tasmanian election this weekend. It's an attempt by the Liberal Party to scare workers and their communities in regional Tasmania. Labor will always back workers, and a sustainable salmon industry in Tassie—our salmon industry—is renowned across the globe as first class. That's the thing that we're backing. I'd like to take this opportunity to clear up disinformation from those opposite. Consultation about salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour on Tasmania's West Coast has recently ended. This process was not initiated by the federal government and those opposite know this very well. Let me repeat that: the consultation process was not initiated by the federal government. It is required as a result of applications made by three groups under Australia's national environment laws. These groups argued that salmon farming is having an unacceptable impact on the Maugean skate—an endangered fish.

The national environment laws which require these applications to be considered—remember, these are laws that are required—were passed in 2000 by those opposite, the Liberal government at the time. They were implemented by the Liberal government in the year 2000. The consultation was very broad. It meant that workers and their union, the salmon industry, communities, environmental groups and scientists, as well as state and local government had an opportunity to have their say. On numerous occasions I have personally met with residents of the Strahan community and in fact the broader West Coast community. I've met with the West Coast Council. I've met with workers from the industry and the unions that represent them, and with the companies who operate farms in Macquarie Harbour. I've worked actively with the Strahan community to ensure they had opportunities to have their voices heard via their submissions.

During the consultation period, the department received over 2,500 submissions. The department will of course now take time to carefully consider the information that was received from those submissions. When the submissions opened, I worked hard with the minister's office to ensure that salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour would not have to pause while that occurs. That was very important to me, but it was also very, very important to that industry.

Everyone, including the salmon industry and the Tasmanian government, agree that more needs to be done to restore the health of Macquarie Harbour. Ultimately the Tasmanian government have responsibility for salmon farming regulations, and they recently extended the licences in Macquarie Harbour. However, our government is working with the Tasmanian government as part of the National Recovery Team for the Maugean Skate, alongside the salmon farming industry, Hydro Tasmania, scientists and members of the local community. As part of this work, we've committed over $2 million to establish a captive-breeding program, and that amount is being matched by the Tasmanian government. This is in addition to the work being done by industry to reoxygenate the harbour. To date, I understand this has had really good results.

The government, over on this side of the chamber, will keep working with the Tasmanian government on restoring the health of the harbour and ensuring the future of the Maugean skate. I will keep working personally with people of Strahan, the workers in the industry and the industries which support the salmon industry. Quite frankly, Senator Duniam should stop these silly stunts which only lead to heightening concerns within the community, the industry and those who work within the industry and further—the flow-on industry. Those stunts are raising huge concerns while this required legal process takes place. They should stop it because it only leads to heightening the concerns within the community whilst the required legal process is occurring.