Political parties are often searching for new issues or campaigns to engage the community and their voter base. This can be both a virtue and a vice. It is a virtue when parties activate the community to discuss an issue or problem. However it and can be particularly dangerous when a political party is suffering from relevance deprivation syndrome and overreaches to the point of damaging organisations or an industry.
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The Tasmanian Greens are suffering from this political symptom with their ongoing demonisation of the Tasmanian salmon industry. The Greens attack is reminiscent of its war on the Tasmanian Forestry Industry. The Greens must find a new campaign to test their political will because the Tasmanian salmon industry is a success story which cannot afford to be undermined for short-term political interest.
Our aquaculture industry now has a gross annual production value of more than $625 million to the Tasmanian economy. With more than 80 per cent of product sold domestically, the possibility for export expansion is significant. According to industry, at current rates salmon production is expected to grow to $1 billion annually by 2030.
From humble beginnings 20 years ago, the Tasmanian salmon industry now generates 5200 local jobs and thousands of indirect jobs. Crucially, these are full-time jobs in regional areas. Regional areas need reliable full-time employment opportunities – something that this industry can continue to provide. A successful salmon industry in these areas can lead to wage growth, opportunities for educational institutions and the local property market.
Bernice Bott lives at Surges Bay and has worked in the aquaculture industry for 20 years. She has worked with Tassal for a combined 13 years. The industry is very important to Ms Bott but also fundamental to five other members of her family. Her daughter Tamika relies on her mum being employed at Tassal, as do the other 200 employees who work at Huonville. I know that Bernice hopes that in years to come her daughter has a job to go to in Huon, possibly in the salmon industry.
History dictates that success cannot be taken for granted. If consumers lose faith in the product, and Tasmanians stop supporting fish farms because of a grubby and desperate political campaign, then the entire industry is at risk.
The Greens cannot be allowed to undermine this industry and trash our clean green Tasmanian brand. The Tasmanian brand is among the most marketable brands for fresh, quality produce. A well-funded and sustained attack by a political party against our produce will not end well.
This industry is now independently regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency. And the state government has strengthened enforcement mechanisms to ensure the industry is sustainable. EMRS market research found late last year that 74 per cent of people were in support to some degree of the expansion of the salmon industry.
The industry must be allowed to work with the independent regulator, government and the best scientists to ensure the industry is sustainable for decades to come. It is not in the industries interest to fail to comply with stringent environmental standards, something which the Greens, Graeme Wood and Andrew Wilkie need to understand.
I encourage those who are attacking this industry to get out of the way and allow this industry and regional communities to prosper.
- Helen Polley is a Tasmanian Labor Senator