2026-05-28
The Greens call for transparency on the Albanese government’s shameful appointment of Salmon Tasmania to deliver a $28 million taxpayer-funded program aimed to protect the Maugean skate in Macquarie Harbour.
At Senate Estimates today it was revealed there were four tenders for the $28m Macquarie Harbour Oxygenation Project, yet this program was awarded to Salmon Tasmania.
Why? Will Salmon Tasmania profit from the industry’s own pollution? Disappointingly, little detail was provided on these important questions.
Lines attributable to Greens spokesperson for healthy oceans and Senator for Lutruwita/Tasmania, Peter Whish-Wilson:
“Appointing Salmon Tasmania to manage and oversee the expenditure of $28m of public money to supposedly clean up its own pollution in Macquarie Harbour beggars belief and appears to be a conflict of interest.
“This new development is so farcical and brazen it would qualify for a scene in Utopia, but it’s deadly serious: nothing less than the extinction of an entire species is at stake.
“The federal government’s own scientific advice clearly states the key threat to the Maugean skate’s survival is poor water quality in Macquarie Harbour, and that the primary cause of this is Atlantic salmon farming. It recommended stopping or destocking salmon as an immediate measure.
“The federal government has ignored this advice and instead let its mates in the salmon industry off the hook by opting for an expensive and lengthy taxpayer-funded experiment to pump oxygen into the skates' last known home.
“These greedy salmon farming companies pollute Tasmania’s waterways, make hundreds of millions of dollars in profit, pay no licence fees or royalties for the privilege of using our public waterways, and now the industry is going to profit from a taxpayer-funded contract to try and repair damage it’s caused to the environment?
“Why Salmon Tasmania was awarded this contract over three other bidders requires an explanation and transparency. The Greens will push to verify whether Salmon Tasmania will be allowed to profit from attempting to repair the damage the industry caused.
“The non-responses provided by the government at Senate Estimates are not good enough and raise more questions than answers."