Nickolas Varvaris (Barton, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for the Environment. Will the minister update the House on the government's commitment to return the Malabar Headland to the people of New South Wales?

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to thank the member for Barton, who, along with the member for Hughes, the member for Cook and the member for Banks, was one of the co-architects of the Georges River recovery plan. In fact, we have just finished two Green Army projects in the lower Georges River and the mid Georges River—already done and completed on his watch, in his time. He has also been a great advocate for the return of public lands to the people of New South Wales. In that respect, this is one of the achievements in the environment which we have managed in just the last few weeks, let alone in the last 18 months. Over the last few weeks we have banned the practice inherited from Labor of dredging on the Great Barrier Reef and dumping in the marine park. We have put in place the Reef 2050 long-term sustainability plan, which includes $100 million for improved water quality. We have banned the importation of lion products from canned hunting. We have taken real steps to achieve reductions in emissions. What is it that you want this time, mate?

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will resume his seat.

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Come on.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will resume his seat. The member for Isaacs on a point of order?

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I listened carefully to the question, Madam Speaker. It was about Malabar headland. We have yet to hear a word about that.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What is the point of order that the member is raising?

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Direct relevance, Madam Speaker.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is no point of order. The member will resume his seat.

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

And the other thing that we have done that makes me extremely pleased is that we have returned Malabar headland to the people of New South Wales. And do you know what? Your mob promised to do it but never did it. But what has happened is that, with the Baird government, we reached agreement. We met on New South Wales territory recently. We finalised the handover. Most significantly, what we see is that the New South Wales government will now create one of Australia's great urban public parks. They will create one of Australia's great coastal public walking tracks.

This never happened on Labor's watch. The other thing that has happened—and listen to this—is that we have provided money to improve safety on the Anzac Rifle Range and $2 million to return the disabled riding school that they turfed off Malabar headland. Does the member for Kingsford Smith support that? They turfed disabled riders from Malabar headland. Here is what Donna Wright, the president of the South East Equestrian Club, said about that action of the Labor Party. She said:

They're still crying …

… There's nowhere else they can go. It's just not possible.

She went on to say: 'It was our home. We lost our home and it was devastating.' We have returned the land to New South Wales.

Mr Thistlethwaite interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Kingsford Smith will desist.

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We are creating with the New South Wales government one of the great coastal public parks and walkways. Perhaps most satisfyingly and most decently, we are doing what Labor did not do. We are reversing what Labor did. We are returning the disabled riders to that land to give the chance for young people to have a special place for themselves.