Greens spokesperson for Healthy Oceans, Peter Whish-Wilson provides the following comments on the green-lighting of the Tassal salmon farm at Okehampton Bay.

Senator Whish-Wilson said, "I'm bitterly disappointed, but not surprised, that the federal Liberal Government has chosen to stand by Will Hodgman in an election year, and refused to do a full environmental feasibility study on the the Tassal Okehampton Bay expansion.

Greens spokesperson for Health Oceans, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson expresses his disappointment that both Labor and Liberal voted in the Senate to support the Okehampton fish farm expansion on Tasmania's east coast, and refused to recognise their record of poor regulation and mismanagement of this important industry.

Senator Whish-Wilson said, “Today Labor and Liberal showed their hand and put on record their support for the unpopular fish farm expansion at Okehampton Bay.

Greens spokesperson for Healthy Oceans, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson responds to the media blitz from Tassal today about the health of Macquarie Harbour.

Senator Peter Whish-Wilson said,  “It is ironic the ‘good news’ released by Tassal today on the supposed ‘rapid recovery’  of Macquarie Harbour, based on its own internal research, comes just days before the release of the second IMAS report into environmental conditions in Macquarie Harbour.

Greens Senator for Tasmania and spokesperson for Healthy Oceans, Peter Whish-Wilson provides the following comments on the legal developments in the Tasmanian salmon industry.

Senator Whish-Wilson said, “The Greens warned that this would happen and we were labelled by the Tasmanian Minister in charge as scaremongers out to destroy the industry. Time and time again our warnings have been proved right.

Greens spokesperson for Healthy Oceans, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, has used the latest EPA reporting on the state of Macquarie Harbour to write to Federal Environment Minister to ask him to reconsider the 2012 decision that the salmon farming expansion did not require assessment under the EPBC Act.

Senator Whish-Wilson said, “In the Senate Inquiry the Greens recommended that if any new information came to light or the impacts identified in the leaked reports are not solved, then the Federal Government needs to step in.

Greens spokesperson for Healthy Oceans, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, has referred Tassal to the Senate for a potential breach of parliamentary privilege following allegations on 4 Corners that they attempted to influence a Senate Inquiry witness.