Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to voice my support for the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Coal Seem Gas and Large Coal Mining Development) Bill 2012. This does not happen too often but I would like to commend the member for Groom for his relentlessly sensible comments on this legislation. As a former mining minister and as someone who has always been passionate about both farming and mining, he understands the intersection between these two, at times competing, interests. I hope his voice of reason is the voice that rules those opposite. I can remember not that long ago when the Leader of the Opposition made the commitment to Alan Jones that he would 'lock the gate'—which is actually a change in the property rights of landholders, a change from the idea of the Crown owning minerals. I know the Leader of the Opposition did retreat a little bit from that. Alan Jones has a particular vested interest on this issue because his home town is now a coalmine and he is quite upset about it. In fact, we have such an unholy alliance on this issue: Alan Jones, the Greens and Bob Katter all together on the same ticket. That shows you how bizarre this can be. But that Alan Jones interview when the Leader of the Opposition, the member for Warringah, said that, yes, it would be okay on occasions to lock the gate, showed that—come the moment, come the right goading from someone like Alan Jones—he will say anything and do anything if he thinks it will win him a vote.

Nevertheless, I come with a bit of authority on mining, having worked for two mining ministers and for the Queensland Resources Council. The council has seen incredible change in the coal seam gas developments over the last 10 years, from a state government policy from Peter Beattie that some say was developed literally on the back of a napkin. There has been an incredible change in the companies providing energy in Queensland and the companies providing jobs and revenue for the state of Queensland. Obviously there are no coal seam gas developments in my electorate of Moreton, but many of my constituents are very concerned about this issue. Some are very enthusiastic about the legislation we are discussing tonight, because they are concerned about the impacts on farming communities. There are others who do a lot of business with mining and coal seam gas developments, companies such as Hastings Deering, Komatsu and the Bradken foundry, which is one of the world's best makers of specialised mining equipment. This is important legislation and the benefits of coal seam gas and coal mining development are undeniable with job opportunities of up to 18,000 jobs for Queensland and revenue of up to $850 million for Queensland that will help much of Australia, Queensland especially, and some communities particularly.

Debate interrupted.

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