Media Release – Bob Brown Foundation 27 April 2025

6000 people rally to vote salmon out

In an astounding show of force and in appreciation of our democratic rights, more than 6000 people gathered on Parliament Lawns in Hobart for Bob Brown Foundation’s rally to vote salmon out!

The huge attendance sends a direct message to all political parties that the issue of toxic Tasmanian farmed salmon is a front and centre election issue.

Bob Brown Foundation is calling for the factory fish farms to be removed from Tasmania’s unique and pristine waters.

“Waves of voters are deserting Labor and the Coalition on the environment, and salmon has become a flashpoint issue.

“Albo’s final campaign rally was dwarfed by the huge rally in Hobart against the Prime Minister’s neglect of Tasmania’s environment,” said Bob Brown.

“The impact of Albo and Dutton getting together to weaken environment laws horrified many Labor voters. A swing is on, it’s to the Greens and independents and Franklin, held by the failed minister for fisheries, is a sea of Peter George advocates,” said Brown.

“Today’s rally should send a shiver down the spines of all politicians who continue to support this toxic salmon industry,”said Alistair Allan, Antarctic and Marine Campaigner at Bob Brown Foundation.

“The Tasmanian public has had enough of this polluting salmon industry, and now the Australian public is joining this movement,” said Allan.

Speakers at the rally included: Bob Brown, Richard Flanagan (Author), Madeline Wells (Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre), Eloise Carr (The Australia Institute), Steve Sanders (Friends of the Bays), Jenny Weber (Bob Brown Foundation), Alistair Allan (Bob Brown Foundation) and candidates Peter George (Independent) and Senator Nick McKim (The Greens).

 

Media Release – Peter George Candidate for Franklin 27 April 2025

Huge Hobart Rally told: “Divert salmon industry subsidies to communities”

The Independent candidate for the Federal seat of Franklin in Tasmania called today to end government subsidies to the foreign-owned salmon industry and divert the funding to West Coast communities.

Speaking after a rally of 6,000 people in Hobart, Peter George said the $38 million dollars of public monies being squandered on an experiment of blowing oxygen bubbles into Macquarie Harbour and raising endangered Maugean skate in tanks should be diverted to ensuring West Coast communities’ smooth transition to land-based production.

“It’s extraordinary that Federal and State governments are pouring money into the pockets of the cashed-up multinational salmon industry who don’t even bother paying tax while taking profits offshore,” says Peter George.

“When profits dry up as production crashes from warming waters and from stressed and diseased salmon stocks, the multinationals will pack up and walk away without a backwards glance at the communities and workers they leave behind.

“Instead of squandering $38 million of dollars on blowing oxygen bubbles into Macquarie Harbour and rearing endangered Maugean skate in tanks, that money should be going into helping transition into land based production.

“That money should be spent on the transition from our waterways, retraining staff, encouraging small businesses and broadening the West Coast’s economy.

“The failure of Federal and State governments to support transition amounts to a dereliction of duty and care. 

“It can be done and done well.

“Only this week, an Icelandic based salmon producer announced it’s raised half a billion dollars for a land-based facility producing 30,000 tonnes a year.

“Tasmania is a laggard because the old parties have been captured by an industry that gets to use and trash our waterways for a pittance.”