Ian Macfarlane (Groom, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Energy and Resources) Share this | Hansard source

I move the amendment circulated in my name:

(1) Schedule 1, item 4, page 5 (after line 2), after subsection 505C(5), insert:

(6) The Minister must also ensure that a majority of the members possess scientific qualifications and expertise in one or more of the following areas:

  (a) geology;

  (b) hydrology;

  (c) hydrogeology;

  (d) ecology.

As I said in my comments when I spoke on the bill, the coalition supports the establishment of this expert panel, and the amendment here is being supported by the minister. There is certainly no doubt that, as the member for Lyne just said, science needs to be at the heart of the process. Too much of the debate has been dragged backwards and forwards by statements that are less than accurate, to say the least.

The most important thing in this process as we exploit those resources—which, as the member for Maranoa said, have the potential not only to provide jobs and income for the economy but just as importantly to provide jobs in communities which have seen an economic decline in the past—is that the community, the custodians of the land, in particular the farmers in Queensland and New South Wales and wherever else this industry expands to, have confidence in the process. There must be confidence in the process. We need to depoliticise the process. We need to take out of the process those things where those who for their own political gain are attempting to confuse the topic.

So establishing an expert panel, establishing the wherewithal behind that panel in the money that the Commonwealth is making available, is all part of ensuring that the community has confidence in this process. We do need to collate an absolute myriad information that is out there. Some of it is peer reviewed, some of it is not. Some of it is, therefore, accurate and some of it may not be accurate. We need to collate that information and where the deficiencies are identified in that information then do the research.

The coalition have moved this amendment, which, as I understand it, will be supported by the government. Our only aim in this is to ensure that that scientific panel has the very best expertise to ensure that it does the very best job for the responsibility that it is charged with. If it does that, everyone will benefit from it. The ability of the two industries to coexist is important—that is, primary industry or agriculture and also the resource or gas industry; the protection, most importantly, of the aquifers to preserve that most precious resource, which is of course water; and at the same time ensure that the land is able to, as much is physically possible at the time, but at the end of the extraction, be returned to its original productivity. It is very important in terms of us not only feeding our nation but our ongoing responsibility we will have to feed the world that we retain the productivity of our land. As an ex-farmer—and, once you are a farmer, you are always going to be a farmer; I still sniff the air when I go out in the bush—I want to see that happen and the coalition want to see that happen.

I commend the amendment to the House. We, as I say, will support the legislation when it comes forward.

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