Huon Aquaculture executive director Frances Bender has slammed the intention of a Legislative Council committee's finfish farming inquiry, saying her feelings on it fell between bemusement and outrage.
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Ms Bender addressed the committee at a hearing on Friday and said the committee had so far taken evidence under oath which was blatantly untrue and went unchallenged.
"[The inquiry] is potentially damaging to reputation of this company, its employees, the industry, regional communities and the economy of this state," she said.
"What do you hope to achieve from this process?"
Ms Bender accused committee chairwoman Meg Webb of challenging the integrity and livelihood of industry workers.
Ms Webb said it was a shame the committee process had been called into question by Ms Bender.
"Parliamentary review of government legislation and regulation is literally part of our job," she said.
"The process that this committee is following is entirely appropriate.
"It will deliver a considered response in the end."
Ms Webb said the inquiry's outcomes could be valuable in terms of addressing consternation with industry operations.
Earlier in the day, Environmental Protection Authority director Wes Ford responded to criticism over the body's independence.
He said the EPA did not have the independence of a statutory body such as the state's Auditor-General or the Ombudsman.
"But it is more independent than, say, the director of Parks or director of Crown Land," he said.
Mr Ford said the Primary Industries Minister played no role in his decision-making nor did the EPA's board.
"I don't take any directions from the minister or the government in relation to the regulatory decision-making process," he said.
"That doesn't mean that I don't engage with government on a range of matters.
"Am I completely independent from a government position? No, I'm not."