Open letter – Peter George, chair, Tasmanian Alliance for Marine Protection and Neighbours of Fish Farming, 2 February 2023
Open response to the Office of the Tasmanian Premier, the Hon. Jeremy Rockliff
(Earlier correspondence below)
To the Premier’s Executive Officer,
Many thanks for your letter of 24 January letting me know that Premier Rockcliff’s diary is fully committed for the next few months and is unable to meet with TAMP, the peak Tasmanian marine conservation group, to discuss its concerns and those—according to a recent Mercury poll—of the majority of Tasmanians about the direction of the salmon industry in Tasmania.
I appreciate Premier Rockcliff would have his hands full mis-hitting golf balls and posting to social media, driving around Symmons Plains, and trying to explain to the Tasmanian people why a stadium they don’t need is a better investment of hundreds of millions of their tax dollars than housing or a health system that works.
But given he reportedly does have time to meet with salmon industry leaders when they pay $4,400 a head to attend a Liberal Party fund raising dinner where the Premier was able to tell them they would get everything they want no matter how unpopular that might prove, I am happy to personally offer $4,400 to the Liberal Party to access the Premier’s time and interest, as this appears to be the appropriate way to find a window in his tremendously busy diary.
Please let me know if you prefer payment by credit card or electronic transfer, or, if the Liberal Party prefers, just straight cash.
Kind regards,
Peter George
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EARLIER CORRESPONDENCE BELOW ….
From the Premier’s office, Jan 24, 2023
Good afternoon Peter
Thank you for your email.
Unfortunately the Premier’s diary is fully committed for the next few months and is unable to meet with you and your colleagues.
The Premier has kindly ask that you continue liaising with his Primary Industries and Water Minister, Jo Palmer MLC on this matter.
Kind regards
* * * * *
To the Premier, Jan 18, 2023
The Hon Jeremy Rockliff,
Premier of Tasmania,
Hobart
Jan 18, 2023
Dear Premier,
I am writing on behalf of the many Tasmanians deeply concerned about the government’s unfolding plans for expansion of the Atlantic salmon industry to request an urgent face-to-face meeting with you.
As Tasmanians who have witnessed the impact of open-net salmon feedlots on communities and waterways, we are asking for the same courtesy you extended to executives of the multinational salmon companies you hosted at a private Liberal Party fundraiser in November last year.
A meeting with you might help alleviate the sense of betrayal and disappointment resulting from reports that you gave those executives undertakings on expansion plans despite a process of public consultations that was still underway.
The latest iteration of your government’s draft salmon plan appears to be a template for the industry’s expansion at the expense of communities, marine life, coastlines and waterways contrary to the hundreds of submissions by individuals, communities and organisations as well as the recommendations of the 2022 Fin Fish Inquiry.
With submissions on this latest draft closing this Friday, January 20 – despite undertakings the process would not be conducted over the holiday season – we ask no more than you to hear, engage and act upon the cogent issues that concern so many of us who have witnessed the impact of this expanding industry.
It is more urgent than ever that you listen to the concerns of Tasmanians now that the industry is in the hands of three multinationals with global records that include corruption, environmental destruction, regulatory failure and aggressive litigation when held to account for their transgressions.
Yours faithfully.
Peter George
for and on behalf of
The Tasmanian Alliance for Marine Protection
Tasmanian Conservation Trust
Bob Brown Foundation
Neighbours of Fish Farming
Tasman Peninsula Marine Protection
Killora Community Assn
Surfrider Foundation Tasmania
Marine Protection Tasmania
NWTas for Clean Oceans
