Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Nearly two years ago to this day, a global tragedy unfolded off the west coast of Tasmania. At remote Strahan Beach, near Macquarie Harbour, over 470 whales were stranded. Despite the valiant efforts of conservation volunteers, local communities, aquaculture workers and scientists, a big majority of those whales perished. In an almost eerie coincidence, exactly two years to the date of that global tragedy—Australia's biggest whale stranding ever—we've had another whale stranding off the coast of Tasmania. Over 250 pilot whales were stranded. This followed the very rare stranding of 14 sperm whales on King Island just a few days earlier. Sperm whales are very rare in the waters off Tasmania and are very rarely beached. Why did this happen? Nobody knows. There are a lot of theories out there, but nobody knows. Can we do more to stop this from happening? Yes, we can. Are there gaps in our knowledge and research? Yes, there are.

Today I would like to thank once again all the legends who have been down there in the freezing cold and heartbreaking conditions working to save these whales. We owe it to them as we do to the many frustrated Tasmanians, Australians and, indeed, members of the global community who are horrified to see this happening again. We owe it to them to do more.

The Greens will be proposing a one- or two-day hearing through the Senate Environment and Communications References Committee to look at what we can do and what the federal government can do to assist the state government in its efforts, should this happen again.