Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | Hansard source

Well, it just seemed to go on for so much longer. You really wouldn't think that she believed what she was saying. We believe what we're saying. We believe in the strong actions we're taking to protect the environment and to engage local communities in that protection. We don't sit on our hands and say it's all too hard or get overwhelmed by international and national challenges; we work hard with key targets in mind and a key focus that brings strong effort from across the government, across the nation and, indeed, across the world. While the member for Griffith appears to want to run down what's happening in the environment portfolio, I would like to talk it up. I would like to talk up our international standing on the oceans and the fact that we have, I say, the best managed reef in the world—certainly to a gold standard. We are investing record dollars in that reef. In fact, it's $1.2 billion—so much more than Labor ever did.

Yes, there was that mention of the $400 million that went to the reef foundation. When has a political party in this place, caring about the World Heritage values of the reef, turned its back on $400 million? Only this Labor Party has done that, and I have no idea why.

We don't resile from the challenges that we face. I've said the No. 1 threat to the reef is climate change. I've acknowledged on Threatened Species Day that the changing rate of climate is a challenge for some of our species. There is absolutely no argument from me with the science. I talk to scientists regularly and I ask them these questions. I'm not afraid of a single thing they say to me. But I also know that Australians are 100 per cent committed to playing their part. Conservation, indeed, is everyone's business. When you look at Threatened Species Day here in the House yesterday, it was delightful to see the member for Griffith cuddling a koala—and I do acknowledge her real interest in koalas—

An honourable member interjecting—

And a Tassie devil. These are things we are doing with our Environment Restoration Fund, which I spoke of. We have got $6 million for koala corridors and hospitals. The member for Griffith mentioned the science, and we want the best scientific expertise to look at the adaptation of species.

Yes, the climate is changing. This is a global issue. It's not something Australians can stand up and change tomorrow. But what we can do is say, 'Here is a vulnerable species. How can we invest in the science?' We know there are too many koalas in South Australia and the genetic diversity is not great, but we know that they love to live where people live, which is where the member for Griffith lives, and we want to protect those populations. We invite her, when the time comes, to be involved in the koala restoration project through that fund. We engage all members. We can stand up as a political party and as a government and look every single Australian in the eye and say, 'We recognise the challenges, but we are here working with you to meet those challenges.'

There were a couple of mentions of the budget. This is a budget conversation; I understand that. It's important to note that we can only do what we do in this space if we live responsibly within our means, invest carefully and make every dollar count. We must make every dollar hit the ground where we know it will have the most value, whatever the agenda.

I notice that the member for Griffith didn't speak at all about one of the key commitments of this government, which is recycling plastics in the ocean. We have an international reputation. We have the Australian Institute of Marine Science, the scientists we have on the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and our wonderful envoy, who was unfairly targeted in that speech, and the passion he brings for the tourism industry and the farmers who live along the reef. We didn't hear a mention of farmers, who protect over 60 per cent of Australia's land mass, from the shadow environment—

Mr Conroy interjecting—

Mr van Manen interjecting—

The member for Forde is mentioning various other members. It is so important to just remember that farmers, landcare and the partnership between conservation and agriculture land exactly on the same page with feral animals. We didn't mention feral animals, but I say there is a 'million paws stalk' across Australia every night, with the cats that are killing our native wildlife—up to six million a night, which is pretty horrific. But, again, do we sit on our hands and say, 'It's all too hard; we haven't got enough money; we haven't got enough staff; we can't manage anything,' or do we actually get down, roll up our sleeves, get our hands dirty and do something out there in the real world and the real economy?

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