Andrew Wilkie (Clark, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I would observe that this one bill tonight completely and utterly shreds this government's climate change credentials. It's as simple as that. I have some questions for the minister, to ask through you, Deputy Speaker.

In many of the responses to the very brief Senate inquiry on this bill, concerns were expressed about the fact that it appears to be carving out an approvals loophole for one specific regulated industry. To be clear, that industry is the offshore oil and gas industry. This follows the government's awful sea dumping legislation last year, which the foreign minister appeared to admit was about the government saying yes to Santos, Woodside and Inpex. So, through you, Deputy Speaker, I ask the minister: why is the government so allergic to transparency and proper community consultation for fossil fuel projects, and will you explain why the government is cutting a special deal for the offshore fossil fuel sector that no other industry in Australia gets?

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