Environment Tasmania has responded in defense of its supporters’ submissions asking Glamorgan Spring Bay Council not to approve Tassal’s east coast development, after comments made at last night’s council meeting by Deputy Mayor Cheryl Arnol questioning their validity.
“It is difficult to believe a Deputy Mayor could single out the input of one group of stakeholders, just because they don’t agree with their position,” said Laura Kelly, Strategy Director at Environment Tasmania.
“This is a politically motivated attempt to undermine valid opposition to a highly controversial development and raises further questions about the Council’s ability to deliver on their governance role.”
Deputy Mayor Cheryl Arnol even went so far as to acknowledge concerns that representations by nearly 4000 Environment Tasmania supporters could have been delivered by a ‘bot’.
“The ‘bot’ is called the internet. It’s about time the council stepped into the 21st century and realised that thousands of ratepayers, voters and tourists from around the world will use email to raise their concerns about council’s rubber-stamping of Tassal’s industrial fish farm.”
The Deputy Mayor’s attempt to discredit the nearly 4000 representations included a criticism that a numbers of points in the representation were ‘identical’.
“It is fairly standard practice for key points in a petition – like the council withholding risk assessment documents from the public – to be identical. Unless the council is questioning the hundred year-old practice of petitioning politicians, Deputy Mayor Arnol needs to issue an apology to Environment Tasmania supporters and commit to addressing the serious concerns they have raised about the damage that will be done to the East Coast by Tassal’s industrial fish farm,” Ms Kelly said.
“The council also needs to stop misrepresenting the position of Environment Tasmania supporters as ‘anti-jobs’. The reality is that if desperate council’s wave through unsustainable fish farms, the jobs created will not be secure – which is exactly what we have seen on the West Coast, where Tassal has been forced to transfer jobs out of Macquarie Harbour because the damage there is so severe Tassal can’t deliver on the jobs promised.”
Below are some examples of the range of comments made by Environment Tasmania supporters who have raised concerns with Glamorgan Spring Bay Council about Tassal’s plans for an industrial fish farm on Tasmania’s pristine east coast. For privacy reasons the comments are not attributed to individual supporters.
“Thanks. I dive there, I do agree”
“Who is in charge here? The Government or Tassal?”
“We have been holidaying for many years on the sapphire coast. This is now at the point after last year that our family and the other four families we holiday with are going elsewhere. If the proposed salmon farm is allowed to proceed then I believe medium to long term it will greatly affect tourism numbers.”
“You’re right – there are two industries in conflict here, and the Government should consider what has been established well before fish farming.”
“Wastes MUST be treated. There’re technical solutions, but they claim to have no money for – a lie.”
“We must look after the little that is left us in the world for future generations. Please all help! I love eating salmon but not if it means irresponsible farming and creating fewer Jobs than if it is left unscathed with farms.”
Laura Kelly Strategy Director Environment Tasmania
