MEDIA RELEASE
DATE: June 28, 2025
Parliament House, Hobart
11am Saturday, June 28
Peter George
Supporting Fishing in Tasmania
In attacking Peter George’s recreational fisheries position, Eric Abetz appears to be fishing for any fabrication in an effort to save his own seat.
Mr George’s policy position was crafted in conjunction with two of Tasmania’s leading recreational fishers, including John Stanfield, who leads a group of more than 6,000 Tasmanians dedicated to “wetting a line”.
Mr George’s published position is strongly in support of both recreational and commercial fishing.
As a minister, Mr Abetz is strongly pushing expansion of industrial salmon farming in Storm Bay – by far the greatest threat to marine life and fishing in state waters.
In attacking me, he’s is doing the work of the salmon barons who have both Labor and Liberal Parties in their pockets and are terrified of Independents like me being elected.
“I have no idea of where Mr Abetz is getting his information from but it’s simply false. Full stop.
“As John Stanfield and thousands of recreational fishers will tell you, a decade of the Liberal government has actually been a disaster for recreational fishers, including swingeing cuts in bag limits and the abolition of effective fishing advisory bodies.
ON PERSONAL ATTACKS:
I regret having to engage with Mr Abetz at what might seem a personal level.
“Coincidentally I was at a lunch yesterday with some Liberal officials in the Franklin electorate yesterday where we agreed on the need to engage in civil debate rather than the personal attacks that have become a hallmark of Tasmanian politics.
If we can lift the standards or political behaviour, we’ll repair Tasmanians’ faith in our parliamentarians.
MEDIA CONTACT: Tiffany Ashdown 0448 513 614
Attached: Fishing Policy