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.
April 2024
UNESCO alerted to impact of salmon farming on World Heritage Area
UNESCO has been urged to request the Australian Government undertake an urgent and comprehensive environmental assessment and report on the impact of salmon farming on the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (TWWHA).
March 2024
Pledge results show widespread independent and crossbench support for an end to native forest logging
Fifty-seven independent and minor party candidates across all five electorates have signed Sophie Scamps MP’s Forest Pledge ahead of the Tasmanian election, setting the stage for the next parliament to end native forest logging in Tasmania.
More key independents pledge to end native forest logging
Independent candidates Craig Garland and Lara Alexander MP signed The Forest Pledge this Saturday, 16 March 2024, increasing pressure to end native forest logging in Tasmania.
Lines Drawn on Major Issues Facing the Tasmanian Electorate
Australia Institute polling research shows a majority of Tasmanian voters support action on integrity in politics, salmon farming, forestry, and housing affordability.
Tasmanian voters expect hung parliament, but unsure who can get the job done
A majority of Tasmanians (58%) believe the upcoming state election is most likely to produce a minority government, but the electorate remains unsure about who is best placed to work with the crossbench, according to new research from the Australia Institute.
Labor’s integrity pledge should be a priority in first 100 days of government
The Australia Institute welcomes Labor’s election pledge to bring integrity, transparency and accountability to Tasmanian politics and urges them to commit to delivering legislation within the first three months of government.
Experts and community representatives slam major parties’ salmon policies
The major parties’ decision to continue to support the salmon industry ignores scientific evidence of environmental impacts, uses discredited jobs figures, and is out of step with voters, the Australia Institute warns.
February 2024
Tasmanian Logging Expansion an Environmental Tragedy
Premier Jeremy Rockliff’s decision to expand native forest logging will drive threatened species closer to extinction and is out of step with voters, the Australia Institute warns.
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