Terri Butler (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Environment and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction. Was a compliance officer from the department of environment present at the meeting, referred to in his previous answer, with departmental officials about the listing of critically endangered grasslands in the Monaro region affecting land he part owned?

Angus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party, Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you for the question. This is a grubby smear from those opposite, one of many that have been made, and were made during the election campaign, and I have been very clear on this. This was not a discussion about compliance action. It was a briefing from departmental officials on technical aspects of a revised listing under the EPBC Act. And the secretary of the department has made very clear—and I quote: 'I can be very clear that Minister Taylor has never raised the issue.' This is the point. I make no apology, though, Mr Speaker. I make no apology for acting in the interests of the farmers in my electorate, and it's about time that those opposite stood up for the farmers in their electorates.

Dr Mike Kelly interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Eden-Monaro will cease interjecting. Was this a point of order? Has the minister concluded? The minister has concluded. I call the member for Robertson.