Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I have a number of points but I would also like to ask a few questions. The first point is that planting trees does not necessarily replace biodiversity. I remind the chamber of the comments from the State of the environment report where it says:

It is often the case that the replacement vegetation, whether natural regeneration or planted trees, is not like the communities that were previously cleared.

I would like to know the percentage of regrowth or trees that were planted that replaced a fully functional ecosystem and whether there is any data on how many hectares of fully functioning ecosystems were replaced.

I would also like to draw the Senate’s attention to the fact that there is a big push, as is well known in this place, to develop the north. In fact, in my own home state of Western Australia—and the development also extends into the Northern Territory—there is Ord stage 2, which will lead to the clearing of a large amount of native vegetation. And if certain senators from the government have their way, and do start the push for developing the north, there are likely to be other areas in the north. I believe very strongly that the federal government needs a strong trigger with which to assess that. I believe that is an issue of national environmental significance.

I also understand that there is a lot of ongoing clearing of native vegetation in Tasmania. I would like to ask the minister what the government is doing about addressing the continuing land clearing in Tasmania.

I also understand that for part of the national water fund the funding is not necessarily tied to outcomes. I have some concerns that there is in fact a wonderful tool there that the government has at its fingertips and that it could be using to a fuller extent. I would like to see that more closely tied to some better outcomes.

I also have a couple of questions about the Mary River dam. I think there is still some confusion in Queensland about whether the public will get to see the state government’s environmental review before it is handed over to the federal government. I understand that is because it is classed as a project of state significance. I am asking whether that will occur.

Secondly, I am pleased to see that the government and the minister will be able to ask for additional material. I am wondering whether, on the Mary River dam proposal, the government will be asking Queensland to justify the dam and whether they will be requiring the state to produce the water figures and their calculations on water prior to making any further decisions. Are they able to, and will they be doing it?