Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young has interrupted question time by whipping out a dead salmon amid inflamed debate over the future of an endangered ray in Tasmania.
The explosive scenes unfolded on Wednesday afternoon while the Greens’ environmental spokeswoman grilled Labor over its legislation that would protect Tasmania’s salmon farming industry at the detriment of the endangered Maugean skate.
Driving her point home, Senator Hanson-Young pulled out the fish, which was encased in a bag, causing outrage and laughter from fellow senators.
“Have you sold out your environmental credentials for a stinking extinction salmon?” said Senator Hanson-Young before producing the bag.
Senate president Sue Lines ordered Senator Hanson-Young to put away the prop, which isn’t allowed under chamber rules.
“Senator Hanson-Young it is a prop, remove it,” she said, after demanding the chamber come to order.
The extraordinary scenes come as Labor is attempting to pass legislation that would prevent the Environment Minister (currently Tanya Plibersek) from considering environmental challenges affecting commercial developments.
The law would effectively protect Tasmania’s salmon farming industry from complaints it harms the habitat of the endangered Maugean skate.
The legislation has been supported by the Coalition; however, the Greens argue the wide-ranging legislation could have unintended consequences.
Representing Ms Plibersek, Jenny McAllister said Australians “deserve better than stunts”.
“We should be able to have a public debate about our national environment news, we should be able to have a debate about environmental law reform,” she said.
“But it is very difficult when every contribution to the debate from a party that claims to care about environmental outcomes and environmental progress is underwritten by mistruths with statements and exaggerations.”