A new Freedom of Information decision shows the federal government is still reviewing salmon farming in Tasmania’s Macquarie Harbour. The Australia Institute led the work that triggered the review, along with two other organisations. Federal government scientists and the environment department find salmon farming is the primary threat to the Maugean skate and that it remains on the brink of extinction. Despite this, the government and opposition united to gut Australia’s environment laws to protect the salmon industry – not the skate – in the final week of Parliament.

The FOI decision, which refuses to release the department’s latest advice to the Minister, shows the department is making the right call by following due process and listening to the science, while the minister is playing politics. Refusing to release the documents is based on the decision being under active assessment. In other words, the minister – whoever that is after the election – will have to make a finding on the impacts of fish farming in Macquarie Harbour.

Either the department has it wrong, or the minister does, but they can’t have it both ways. If the Minister insists the reconsideration no longer has to be dealt with,  then they are improperly exempting the documents and should instruct the department to release them, before any more people cast a vote at this election.

The department’s advice has been saying for 18 months now that fish farming in Macquarie Harbour is the primary threat to the skate and should be more comprehensively assessed under national nature laws. The salmon industry has never been subjected to comprehensive environmental assessment, despite operating in a World Heritage harbour and threatening the extinction of a world heritage recognised species, the Maugean skate.