Madeleine King (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Northern Australia) Share this | Hansard source

Sorry, Member—I agree that you have not cast any aspersions on me today. But that is not the case for many people in this chamber.

The bill is called the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Legislation Amendment (Safety and Other Measures) Bill. It is the pathway. In government, one has to make choices as to how a legislative program can go forward. I accept that you might not agree with that choice, but that is the choice the government has made, so that, again, we can make sure, firstly, that the safety provisions of this bill—which I realise everyone supports, and which are very important—are passed, but also so that we can move forward with the reform of the consultation provisions in the regulations without invalidating the streamlining effects of the EPBC Act and the offshore environmental regime.

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