“Here is a Brazilian billionaire saying to Tasmania, I want to spread more of our fish pen squalor to more of your beautiful bays and oceans, and I think I have found just the weak-spined government that will make Tasmanians subsidise all this,” said Bob Brown.
“In statements that beggar belief, Huon Aquaculture’s CEO, Henry Batista, is saying the quiet part out loud. His demand to the Tasmanian Government, to ‘review’ regulations in exchange for hundreds of millions of dollars, is tantamount to corruption. His belief that Tasmania’s waterways are not only for sale but available to be destroyed by a giant multinational corporation, shows just how arrogant the toxic salmon industry has become,” said Alistair Allan, Bob Brown Foundation Antarctic and Marine Campaigner.
“Mr Batista’s demands to review regulations come just as the most recent 10-year salmon plan was heralded as a failure by the community and scientists for not regulating the industry enough. For an industry desperate to regain social license, asking to destroy Tasmania’s priceless rivers, bays and oceans, along with the unique and irreplaceable wildlife that live here, shows the wanton disregard salmon companies have for Tasmanian communities and our environment.”
“Premier Rockliff must assure Tasmanians that large multinational corporations are not able to simply purchase our public waterways and render them destroyed and void of life. Rather than review the regulations at the behest of Henry Batista, Premier Rockliff must mandate the removal of all Huon Aquaculture’s environmentally destructive fish farms from Tasmania’s waterways instead,” said Alistair Allan.
