Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for her question. I did, yesterday, announce that I would not allow the Central Queensland coal project to proceed. I made that decision because the risk to the Great Barrier Reef, to freshwater creeks and to groundwater beside the proposed mine was simply too great. The Great Barrier Reef is responsible for about $6 billion worth of economic activity every year and about 64,000 jobs. Given the science before me, it became apparent that the risks were simply too great.

The honourable member referred to another project. I will make each decision that comes before me on a case-by-case basis, according to the law and according to the science that is available.

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