Independent Senator for Tasmania Jacqui has expressed disgust at the lengths the Greens will go to, to destroy jobs in Tasmania, after hearing they were attempting to trash the reputation of Tasmania’s salmon industry.

The AWU’s Daniel Walton and Tassal’s Ben Wood met with Senator Lambie at Parliament House last week to discuss the Tasmanian salmon industry.

(Please click below to view YouTube discussion between Senator Lambie, AWU National Secretary Daniel Walton and Tassal Salmon worker.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLG4h-D7fB4

“The Tassie salmon industry has been rated number one in the world, and it has been for the last number of years. So the rest of the world looks to Tassie for guidance in terms of best practice, environmental standards, and using the best scientists in the world to make sure the industry remains number one,” Daniel Walton said.

“There are about 1500 direct jobs and about 5000 indirect jobs that rely on Tassie salmon for their job every day of the week.

“The Greens are just trying to kill off jobs. We have a sustainable industry, we’ve got a regulator in place who manages all the science and manages the environment to make sure that it’s a safe and clean product going forward,” Daniel Walton said.

Daniel Walton went on to explain to Senator Lambie that the Greens were damaging the brand, and damaging the brand damages jobs.

“If the Greens continue to go after our salmon industry, then they are going to wipe it out – I will not let that happen again,” Senator Lambie said.

“The Greens’ propaganda is very familiar. They have already destroyed Tasmania’s Forestry industry, and tried to do the same for the mining industry.

“It seems these people who are trying to shut down our salmon industry, just do not want development in Tasmania at all,” Senator Lambie said.

Transcript:

Salmon Industry under attack from Green’s propaganda

Jacqui Lambie: I had a great meeting this week with the AWU, who brought up some of our very own Tasmanians from the Tasmanian Salmon farming industry and it was great to spend some time with them. And I can tell you now I’m pretty pissed off this week because I can tell you, if the Greens continue to go after our Salmon industry, like our forestry industry and our mining, then they are going to wipe it out. I have had a gutful. No more.
Daniel tell me about this ad, they are actually starting to trash our salmon industry in a beautiful part of Tasmania.

Daniel Walton: Unfortunately it is sad showing someone defecating off the side of the water is basically damaging our home-grown success story. Tassie Salmon has grown from nothing 20 years ago, to the fantastic success story it is today. About 5000 people rely on Tassie Salmon for jobs.

Jacqui Lambie: What do they hope to achieve with this ad they are actually running, besides trashing Tasmania when it comes to our salmon?

Daniel Walton: They wanted to try and stop future expansion of the industry, but what they are actually doing is damaging the brand. Damaging the brand damages jobs.

Jacqui Lambie: And how many people are actually employed in our salmon industry in Tasmania?

Daniel Walton: There are about 1500 direct jobs and about 5000 indirect jobs that rely on Tassie salmon for their job every day of the week.

Jacqui Lambie: And tell me about the stewardship we have down there.

Daniel Walton: The Tassie salmon industry has been rated number one in the world, and it has been for the last number of years. So the rest of the world looks to Tassie for guidance in terms of best practice, environmental standards, and using the best scientists in the world to make sure the industry remains number one.

Jacqui Lambie: So Daniel this reminds me of something in the past and how the Greens came in and absolutely trashed our forestry, trashed our mining, and now what’s left – one of our best assets in the state – which is our Tasmanian salmon – they are now coming to trash this.

Daniel Walton: yes absolutely, they had a decent crack at mining, they tried to kill off an industry which probably had thousands of jobs – we were successful in keeping that – but now they are coming after Tassie salmon.

Jacqui Lambie: And like I said, they did the same with the forestry, we watched suicides, we watched the affects it had on the families, we’ve now got Forestry back up and running and I tell you what, you can see the difference down there.

Daniel Walton: Senator, I would like to introduce Ben from Tassal, he has come up here to talk about the industry.

Jacqui Lambie: So you’re one of the workers?

Ben Wood: Yes, I am a farm worker down at the D’Entrecasteaux Channel, come up here to try and get a bit of support behind Tassie Salmon campaign, and try to help secure jobs and future for the industry.

Jacqui Lambie: So you’re from the Huonville, Kingston area?

Ben Wood: D’Entrecasteaux Channel, so anywhere from Electrona down to Bruny Island.

Jacqui Lambie: And that provides lots of jobs?

Ben Wood: We’ve got about 60 odd people just working at our site, and they have all got families and communities and they are all active members and it would be a shame to see an industry destroyed by propaganda.

Jacqui Lambie: So it looks like these people who are trying to shut down our Tasmanian salmon industry, just do not want development down their whatsoever.

Daniel Walton: Absolutely, they are just trying to kill off jobs. We have a sustainable industry, we’ve got a regulator in place who manages all the science and manages the environment to make sure that it’s a safe and clean product going forward.
Rob Messenger for Senator Jacqui Lambie Senator for Tasmania