Economy
Geelong Star: Where are the Tasmanian Liberals? $320,00 gift to Libs
Mainland Federal Liberal MP calls for Geelong Star to be banned – Where are the Tasmanian Liberals?
It has been reported today in the Geelong Advertiser that the Liberal MP for Corangamite, Sarah Henderson has written to the Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries, Senator Richard Colbeck calling on him to ban the factory-freezer vessel Geelong Star.
The Greens spokesperson for Fisheries, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, has welcomed this move and said, “I hope this is the beginning of an outbreak of common sense within the Liberal Party about the Geelong Star.
“I look forward to hearing Senator Colbeck’s response to this request by a member of his parliamentary party to put an end to this farce.
“If mainland Liberal MPs are coming out and calling for a ban on the Geelong Star, where are the Tasmanian Liberals?
“The Tasmanian public deserve the right to know what position the members for Bass, Braddon and Lyons take on factory-freezer vessels.
“Do Andrew Nikolic, Brett Whiteley and Eric Hutchinson support Sarah Henderson in calling for the Geelong Star to be banned?” he concluded.
YESTERDAY on Tasmanian Times …
• Pete Godfrey, in Comments: As the super trawlers catch of small pelagic fish, is most likely destined to feed Southern Bluefin Tuna in cage factories in South Australia. It is highly unlikely that the industry, which has proven such a benevolent supporter of the Liberal party would be happy if the Libs turned around and stopped the food supply for their lucrative fish. Mr Colbeck has 320,000 reasons not to vote against the super trawler, and one can only imagine what donations may flow to the Libs if they managed to allow the supertrawler to keep fishing.
• Andrew Darby, Fairfax: Tuna fishers defend $320,000 donation to Liberal Party Australia’s tuna fishers have defended a $320,000 donation to the Liberal Party, rejecting any link to an abrupt Abbott government policy shift. The donation, $250,000 of which was made before the last federal election, was the first to be made to any party by the Australian Southern Bluefin Tuna Industry Association. …
• John Hayward, in Comments: The Geelong Star isn’t after all pelagic fish, which includes tuna. They’re after the smaller ones that tuna, particularly captive ones, like to eat. Scoring a license to hoover up the foundation of the marine food chain for only $320,000 is a win-win for both the Star and the Libs. The marine food chain can suck it up.
• Bryan Green: Whiteley leaves state Liberals all at sea over Geelong Star … By withdrawing his support for the Geelong Star, Mr Whiteley has further exposed Will Hodgman’s broken promises on super trawlers. “Brett Whiteley is basically saying the Liberal Government has got it wrong on the Geelong Star,” Labor Leader Bryan Green said. “Will Hodgman was caught out misleading Tasmanians over his position on super trawlers, now his own Liberal colleagues are abandoning him. “The community has every right to feel let down on this issue. “Public concerns about impacts on the small pelagic fishery and the deaths of marine mammals have not changed, despite the Liberals being tricky about the size of the boat.” …