September 2025
One year on from the State of the Environment Report, what’s changed?
(Spoiler alert: nothing!)
August 2025
Liberals plan for Marine Environment Act and salmon review a big step in the right direction
The Australia Institute welcomes the Tasmanian Liberal Party’s promise to conduct an independent study into the salmon industry, pausing marine expansion while the review is carried out.
Minister backs foreign commercial fish farms over endangered native species
Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt has used changes to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act to allow the continuation of commercial salmon farming in Tasmania’s Macquarie Harbour.
Underfunded, toothless and lacking transparency – time for a new era of integrity in Tasmania
As Tasmania’s newly elected politicians jostle to form government, new analysis from The Australia Institute shows that a deal to address integrity would be popular among election-weary voters.
July 2025
Election result shows Tasmanians want a power-sharing government
This weekend saw Tasmania’s second election in just over a year, and the result means whoever forms government will need to work with the Greens or Independents if they want to govern.
Tasmanians want a power-sharing government: poll
More Tasmanians agree than disagree that the major parties should seek to form government with Greens and Independents if they cannot form government in their own right, according to new polling commissioned by The Australia Institute.
Federal reform to GST would deliver significant revenue to Tasmania and other states
Australia Institute research shows simple reforms to the GST would deliver a much-needed budget boost to Tasmania.
June 2025
Whether for or against the stadium, Tasmanians overwhelmingly feel dudded by the AFL – poll
Regardless of who wins the July 19 state election, Tasmanians overwhelmingly want the government to rip up the dud stadium deal with the AFL.
April 2025
Are Australians eating diseased salmon? Sickening new revelations from Tasmania
Shocking new revelations about Tasmanian salmon should leave all Australians feeling sick to the stomach.
March 2025
Sydney smells the stink from Tasmania
Sydney voters care about fish deaths and the impact of commercial fishing in Tasmania, according to a new poll.
A dark day for the environment – and democracy
This is a dark day for two of Australia’s greatest treasures: the environment and our democracy.
The Prime Minister should take his own advice
Ten years ago, Anthony Albanese launched a passionate defence of the laws which are designed to protect Australia’s environment.
Undemocratic environment laws to silence the public
The Federal Government and Opposition are proposing to weaken environmental protections and stop community groups from protecting nature.
Bombshell FOI reveals fish farms have been inadequately assessed for impact on threatened species and World Heritage
Documents released today under Freedom of Information reveal advice to the federal government that salmon farming in Tasmania’s Macquarie Harbour should be comprehensively assessed under national environment law, for its impact on the endangered Maugean skate and the harbour’s World Heritage value. The advice was provided in November 2023 as the ‘likely outcome’ of reconsidering a 2012
60 jobs: The salmon industry finally comes clean
Ever since Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s letter pledging to protect the foreign-owned salmon industry at the expense of world heritage wilderness, an ecological disaster has unfolded in Tasmania.
February 2025
Australians must be protected from diseased salmon
With an unfolding ecological disaster in Tasmania, salmon farmers have a duty to protect Australian families from diseased, dying or dead fish.
Secrecy, Prime Ministerial promises, now mass deaths – time to clean up Tasmania’s salmon industry
Australia’s Administrative Review Tribunal has ordered the federal government to release a ministerial brief on the prospective extinction of the Maugean skate, recognised for its World Heritage value, in a win for government transparency over a culture of secrecy.
PM’s move to protect foreign companies undermines democratic process
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s letter to the Tasmanian salmon industry, promising new federal environmental laws to protect the foreign-owned businesses, sets a dangerous precedent and undermines government process.
Something fishy about PM’s reported pledge to salmon industry
There are reports today that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has written to the Tasmanian salmon industry, assuring its future in Macquarie Harbour.
Australian Government urged to release response to UNESCO concerns about Maugean Skate
The Australia Institute and 13 other organisations have written to UNESCO, the World Heritage Centre and the International Union for Conservation of Nature, to highlight the plight of the endangered Maugean skate and request their assistance to prevent its extinction.
January 2025
Political Candidates Urged to Pledge Support for Protecting Endangered Maugean Skate in Macquarie Harbour
The Australia Institute is inviting politicians and candidates to show they are willing to listen to the science and pledge their support for protecting the critically endangered Maugean skate. Several politicians and federal election candidates have publicly endorsed the petition, including: Andrew Wilkie MP, Independent Member for Clark Senator Nick McKim, Australian Greens Peter George,
December 2024
Australians urged to support Minister to keep her promise on “no more extinctions”
The Australia Institute has launched a petition encouraging Australians to support Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek to keep her promise of no more animal extinctions under her watch.
Another day, another bumper catch of misinformation from the salmon industry
Just 24 hours after The Australia Institute exposed the salmon lobby’s lies in the debate over fish farming in Tasmania’s Macquarie Harbour, more misinformation has been spread by those with a vested interest.
November 2024
Tide of public opinion supports stopping fish farming in Macquarie Harbour
One year on from the commencement of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 reconsideration of salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour, new research released by The Australia Institute today shows a majority of Australians continue to support stopping fish farming where it risks the extinction of the Maugean skate.
Albanese government rewards foreign company for driving endangered species towards extinction
The Albanese government has today announced it will spend more than $21 million of taxpayers’ money directly on propping up the salmon industry, which does not appear to have paid any corporate tax since 2019-20.
October 2024
Minister shows lack of leadership again, as endangered species faces extinction
Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has, once again, delayed making an important decision to save the endangered Maugean skate in Tasmania’s Wilderness World Heritage Area.
Top Australian scientists unite in defence of science on Maugean skate
An ancient and endangered skate (related to rays and sharks), which can only be found in a remote corner of western Tasmania, could be wiped out by salmon farming, prompting an extraordinary warning from some of the nation’s foremost marine scientists. 14 Professors and five Fellows from the Australian Academy of Science are among more than
September 2024
Overdue report delivers scathing assessment of Tasmanian Government’s environmental record
The State of the Environment Report released today shows that Tasmania’s unique environmental assets have been severely impacted by years of neglect from the state government, the Australia Institute has said. Key Findings: The Tasmanian Government has released the first State of the Environment Report in 15 years. The report shows that the Government has
June 2024
Momentous budget and planning decisions must be based on current environmental data
Leading environment and policy groups are calling on the Tasmanian Government to make the decade-long-delayed State of the Environment Report public before several key financial and planning decisions are made by the government and the parliament later this year.
May 2024
Reform Agenda Launches ahead of Tasmanian Parliament’s Return
New research from the Australia Institute has identified 16 key reforms that are required to strengthen and safeguard democracy in Tasmania, which now lags behind many mainland jurisdictions in accountability and transparency.
General Enquiries
Emily Bird Office Manager
mail@australiainstitute.org.au
Media Enquiries
Glenn Connley Senior Media Advisor
glenn.connley@australiainstitute.org.au