In a dramatic and unexpected move just months out from a federal election, Australia’s leading environmental organisations have pulled advertising campaigns targeting the Coalition’s nuclear energy plans—and redirected the firing squad at Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
At the heart of the pivot is outrage over the Albanese government’s proposed legislation to protect the salmon farming industry from legal challenges—at the apparent expense of the endangered Maugean skate, a prehistoric fish found only in Tasmania’s Macquarie Harbour.
The decision to change tack was made at what insiders described as an “emergency meeting” of environmental leaders on Saturday. Attendees included representatives from Greenpeace Australia Pacific, the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF), and WWF Australia. One person present described the mood as “apoplectic” over what was perceived as a rushed plan to weaken national environmental law without consultation.
David Ritter, chief executive of Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said there was “visceral anger in the community” about the proposed changes, which appear to prioritise industrial interests over the survival of a species that has persisted for more than 60 million years.
“Like many other groups, Greenpeace has immediately refocused campaign effort to ensure the Australian public is aware of what the prime minister is proposing to do and the impact it would have – not just on the Maugean skate, but setting an incredibly bad precedent giving special treatment to a harmful and polluting industry,” Ritter said. “In our own advertising, this issue has taken priority over gas and nuclear policy, for now”.
The coordinated campaign shift marks a rare and significant rupture between the environment movement and the Labor government, which many in the sector have historically viewed as the lesser of two evils compared to a Coalition led by Peter Dutton. Until now, major groups had run ads attacking the Coalition’s nuclear energy plans while reinforcing support for Labor’s renewables-focused agenda.
But over the weekend, the messaging changed with the ACF labelling the move as a “death warrant”.
An ACF social media post over the weekend said: “The Albanese Government is pushing to weaken Australia’s already broken nature laws, just to protect the salmon industry from a legal challenge over its impact on the endangered Maugean skate, a Ray-like species found only in Macquarie Harbour”.
“This rushed legislation goes beyond salmon farming. It’s designed to strip conservation groups of their ability to challenge destructive developments across the country”.
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A Greenpeace ad pulled no punches either, reading: “Albanese goes all out for species extinction.”
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Ritter said direct lobbying had failed to change the government’s course, prompting the urgent ad campaign to “ensure that the prime minister grasps the seriousness of the situation.”
“Like many other groups, Greenpeace has immediately refocused campaign effort to ensure the Australian public is aware of what the prime minister is proposing to do and the impact it would have – not just on the Maugean skate, but setting an incredibly bad precedent giving special treatment to a harmful and polluting industry,” Ritter said. “In our own advertising, this issue has taken priority over gas and nuclear policy, for now.”
Environmental leaders are now demanding the bill be scrapped and a recommitment to stronger environmental protections. “The bill should be dumped and a strong re-commitment should be made to deliver strong nature law reforms, and an independent watchdog to enforce them, within the first 12 months of government if reelected this year,” he said.
According to reports, the government plans to amend the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act to block a legal reconsideration into a 2012 decision allowing salmon farming expansion in Macquarie Harbour. The move follows lobbying by the salmon industry, Tasmanian Labor MPs, and the state’s Liberal government. The reconsideration was triggered last year by three environmental groups based on new scientific evidence.
A government spokesperson defended the proposed change as a “very specific amendment to address a flaw” in the law. “We won’t stand by and let workers lose their jobs because of a broken law. Under existing law, an industry could be shut down overnight when an environmental assessment commences. That is not acceptable to the government or to the community”.
“We want to see laws which provide better environmental protections and faster decision-making. We remain committed to that. We will consult on specifics in a second term with the states, business and environment groups”.
The Maugean skate has been listed as endangered since 2004, with scientists warning last year that wild populations were critically low and that salmon farming was reducing oxygen levels in its habitat. While a recent report suggested some population recovery, researchers cautioned that ongoing monitoring and habitat protection remain critical.
With the federal election approaching, environmental groups now face a complex campaign strategy—one that pits their longstanding climate priorities against a growing sense of betrayal over nature protections. The suspension of anti-nuclear ads is “open-ended,” with some groups reconsidering where to invest resources in the coming months.
For now, the message from the green movement is clear: support for renewables alone is no longer enough. Protecting Australia’s unique wildlife—like the ancient Maugean skate—must be part of the deal.
