Premier’s Salmon ‘Crisis’ Exposed as Political Stunt

In the 52nd sitting of parliament today two from opposing political figures, Rosalie Woodruff and Janie Finlay, have emerged, both sharply criticising the government’s handling of the ongoing salmon industry crisis.

Both media releases subsequent to their public comments accuse the government of a lack of transparency and dishonest practices, pointing to an alleged cover-up. Woodruff, the Greens Leader, claims the government is prioritising the profits of salmon corporations over environmental safety, citing the proposed use of an untested antibiotic. Finlay, the Deputy Labor Leader, accuses the Premier of manufacturing a crisis to gain political leverage, creating unnecessary anxiety and uncertainty within the industry.

These statements collectively paint a picture of a government in disarray, with conflicting statements and actions that have led to public distrust and confusion.

Media release – Rosalie Woodruff MP, Greens Leader, 9 September 2025

Who Is The Hand And Who Is The Glove?

Today in Parliament the Liberal government admitted it is working “hand in glove” with salmon corporations. Hardly news, but it’s good to have recorded on Hansard.

Despite saying multiple times the salmon industry is ‘on notice’, Premier Rockliff today also refused to immediately halt to industry expansion or the intensification of farming within existing leases.

The Premier promised a “pause” after commencement of a salmon industry “study”, but the promised study is not likely to start for months.

Meanwhile, local communities have reported salmon companies adding pens to existing leases and increasing fish stocks.

Primary Industries Minister Gavin Pearce also confirmed the government’s application to the APVMA for an ‘emergency’ permit to use controversial antibiotic, Florfenicol, will be as a “preventative” measure to manage salmon disease outbreaks.

Federal regulatory guidelines only allow issuing of an emergency permit for a new antibiotic if there is a “genuine emergency” under way. Crossbenchers were told at their recent briefing no emergency outbreak was occurring.

Applying for an emergency permit is clearly designed to prevent the normal assessment processes for unregulated antibiotics, that should properly consider risks to native fish and other aquatic life. This is an abuse of federal guidelines, during the Caretaker period after months of back room conversations.

According to European regulators, Florfenicol is expected to be harmful to the aquatic environment. It’s a powerful antibiotic that increases antimicrobial resistance.

Florfenicol’s impacts on our native fish are untested, and a rigorous scientific assessment needs to determine the risks.

A repeat of last summer’s mass mortality event with tonnes of dead salmon, or worse the catastrophe that’s occurring in South Australia must be prevented. The Liberals must order salmon companies to destock all pens with diseased fish Instead of dumping untested antibiotics into our waterways.

Media release – Janie Finlay MP, Deputy Labor Leader, Shadow Minister for Primary Industries & Aquaculture, 9 September 2025

Pearce confirms Premier manufactured salmon ‘crisis’

Today in Parliament, Minister Gavin Pearce confirmed that there was no serious event in the salmon industry on 14 August – exposing some very serious inconsistencies in the series of events that led to the announcement of an unprecedented moratorium.

This moratorium sent a shockwave of enormous uncertainty and anxiety throughout the industry and throughout regional communities.

Salmon workers and their families deserve answers. They requested Labor ask these questions in the Parliament. They suspected the Premier’s actions were a stunt, and today they were proven correct.

The Minister’s responses today make a very strong case that the Premier deceived the crossbench and manufactured a fake story as cover for his cynical move against the salmon industry.

Minister Pearce has now directly exposed his own Premier’s dishonesty and deception.

It’s astonishing that at the time of the briefing, the Minister responsible for oversight of the aquaculture industry wasn’t aware of a moratorium on salmon farming being announced a mere two days later.

This was no accident. The Premier personally phoned Peter George claiming a “very serious event” had occurred. The next day, MPs were rushed into a so-called “urgent briefing” while industry representatives were blindsided, and regulators were used as props at a staged press conference.

There was never a crisis – just a desperate Premier inventing one to save his job.

Tasmanians cannot trust a word the Premier says, and the fact he’s willing to use entire industries as political pawns should cause great concern in the communities he is supposed to represent.

Media release – Janie Finlay MP, Deputy Labor Leader, Shadow Minister for Primary Industries & Aquaculture, 10 September 2025

Premier on the hook cooking up salmon crisis

Today in Parliament, Jeremy Rockliff and Gavin Pearce gave two very different stories about the so-called “salmon crisis’ declared to Mr George in a phone call on 14 August – giving Tasmanians strong reason to believe that one of them hasn’t told the truth.

Minister Pearce again confirmed that there was no disease outbreak, crisis, or serious event in the salmon industry.

Yet the Independent Member for Franklin, Peter George, has publicly stated that the Premier personally phoned him on 14 August claiming there was a very serious event and a brand-new salmon disease outbreak.*

Both statements cannot be true.

The Premier’s patchy recount of his phone call with Mr George raised even more suspicion when he admitted he may have used the word “outbreak”.

It’s also extraordinary that the Minister responsible for oversight of the industry had no knowledge of an impending moratorium to be announced two days later.

Tasmanians want answers. Who is telling the truth?

Workers and communities who rely on the salmon industry have been used as pawns in a cynical political stunt. They deserve honesty, not the Premier’s manufactured crisis and shifting stories to keep his job.

Every day this deception remains unanswered is another day of damage to our communities and industries.

*Peter George on ABC Mornings, 15 August

Peter George – “There are disease outbreaks, in fact, there’s a brand-new disease outbreak, which I learned about from Jeremy Rockliff himself…

Journalist – “Okay, could you give us the details of that?”

Peter George – “Well, I don’t have a lot of detail about it, Jeremy rang me last night and said he’d had a high-level briefing. There is a disease outbreak in the Huon River.”

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