Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for Hunter for his question. I think that it is very important that we clearly understand that local agricultural producers and others with legitimate proprietary, economic, financial and other direct interests will not be affected and can be assured that their voices will be heard and the courts will be available for the protection of their rights. Farming groups can still use their organisation and resources—such as those employed on occasion by the NFF, through their fighting fund—to support individuals affected by decisions. Those with a standing interest, those with interests pertinent to issues such as mines, have the capacity to have standing in the courts, as they did in the past. They still have that capacity. It is still the case.

But what I am also hearing is that the people of Central Queensland want to know how their rights are going in regards to having their jobs supported in the Adani mine. That is an issue that the people of Dawson really want to know about. They want to know whether they have a future, whether they have a job or whether you are still placing skinks and snakes ahead of working men and women in Australia. The member for Capricornia wants to know—

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