The Greens have slammed the Albanese government for taking extraordinary measures to dodge accountability in the Federal Court on allowing the expansion and continuation of polluting salmon farming in the last remaining habitat of the endangered Maugean skate.
Environment groups waited two years after lodging a reconsideration request of the expansion before the Albanese government sensationally passed legislation in February specifically designed to bypass the reconsideration and allow salmon farming to continue.
The controversial new laws were set to be challenged by the Bob Brown Foundation in Federal Court next week and would have compelled the Minister to reconsider the expansion based on evidence.
To avoid being held accountable in Federal Court, the Minister today confirmed the reconsideration request had been settled and salmon farming would continue.
As stated by Greens spokesperson for Healthy Oceans & Senator for Lutruwita/Tasmania, Peter Whish-Wilson:
"The only reason this decision has been made by the Minister now is to scuttle the Federal Court case.
"The Albanese government had two years to make this decision and didn't, instead it opted to sensationally bring in new legislation that undermines Australia's already weak nature laws in an attempt to bypass making a decision based on evidence.
"The Minister has disrespected the legal process, dodged accountability, and refused to look at the evidence, all to placate and extend a polluting industry pushing a species to extinction.
"Labor is showing just how far it will go to protect the profits of foreign salmon farming corporations over Tasmania's environment and the survival of the Maugean skate."
