A carve-out of Australia’s environment laws, designed to protect corporations and big industry, passed in the Senate last night.

The bill prevents citizens, communities and environmental groups from requesting the government reconsider environmentally damaging projects that once had approval.

The bill was introduced as a result of a request from Bob Brown Foundation and two other groups concerning the predicted extinction of the Maugean Skate due to industrial fish farm pollution in Tasmania’s Macquarie Harbour.

“It is utterly shameful that the PM teamed up with Dutton to weaken Australia’s environment laws at the behest of the massive multinational salmon corporations,” said Alistair Allan, Antarctic and Marine campaigner at Bob Brown Foundation.

“The Prime Minister has condemned the Maugean skate, an animal that has been on the planet for millions of years, to extinction, all to protect the profits of foreign-owned salmon corporations.”

“As the whole of Australia is learning about just how terrible the Tasmanian salmon industry is and when RSPCA has just dropped their certification of this cruel industry, the Prime Minister is completely out of touch with the majority of Australians who want our oceans protected, not destroyed by factory fish farms,” said Alistair Allan.

“It’s an own-goal by Albanese and Dutton. In particular, young voters alarmed by climate change and extinctions will vote against them in record numbers in May. No one worried for the future should endorse coal and gas-promoting, forest-destroying, rotten salmon-protecting parties. Time’s up,” Bob Brown said.