This election result was anything but a vote for the foreign-owned commercial salmon industry.
Independent MP for Clark, Andrew Wilkie, attributes Labor's success in Braddon – where Anne Urquhart won the seat off the Liberals – to "enormous pork-barrelling" by the ALP.
Braddon takes in Macquarie Harbour, where huge commercial salmon farms are putting the world-renowned Maugean Skate at serious risk of extinction.
Intensive salmon farming in the harbour remains under review.
In Franklin, the epicentre of the state's salmon industry, first-time candidate, Independent Peter George, achieved a swing of around 6 percent against Labor.
Mr George focused strongly on fixing the salmon industry's problems and – while he did not win the seat – he did win the vast majority of votes at booths immediately adjacent to where the industry operates.
"The fact that an independent got over 20 percent of the primary vote. That was a very strong anti-salmon vote," said Independent Member for Clark, Andrew Wilkie.
"Around 80% of the salmon industry is in southeast Tasmania. People living along the coast of the Franklin electorate live with the daily impact of this industry, including dead and decaying chunks of fish washing up on their beaches," said Eloise Carr, Director, The Australia Institute Tasmania
"That's where Peter George won the most votes. He also won a 6% swing away from Labor."
