Peter Garrett (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question, and I am pleased to be able to advise him, through you, Mr Speaker, that the National Plan to Combat Pollution of the Sea by Oil and Other Noxious and Hazardous Substances has been activated—it kicks in automatically. It was activated last week, and it is a matter of some concern to me that the member is so poorly informed about this issue and chooses to politicise it in the House. The fact of the matter is that Australia has a national plan to enable effective responses to marine pollution. It is a fact that the Australian Maritime Safety Authority—within my colleague Minister Albanese’s portfolio—manages that national plan. It is also a fact that the Rudd government announced today that it will immediately bring forward $2 million to help local community groups and natural resource management bodies to continue the clean-up of Moreton Bay following last week’s oil spill.

I want to go on and say to the member that I have been in contact not only with my department but also with the Queensland government on this particular issue and that we have looked very closely and carefully at the measures that have been put in place. The Commonwealth response was one which was immediate, constructive and comprehensive. I also want to point out that today my colleague the Attorney-General announced that we will deploy a Royal Australian Navy minehunting vessel to search for 31 fertiliser containers which were lost from the Pacific Adventurer during tropical Cyclone Hamish on 11 March. The Commonwealth’s response has been absolutely clear. We acted immediately and consistently with our responsibilities. I am surprised that a question of this kind would be asked in the House.

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