Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I appreciate the minister putting that on the record. I think that any analysis of this legislation will show that, whilst currently the minister cannot approve the fabrication plants, enrichment plants, power plants and reprocessing plants, all those other activities are required under the act. The bioregional plans make it quite clear that that is a mechanism by which the minister can make a declaration that a uranium mine is in accordance with a bioregional plan and therefore does not require approval under part 9 of the act. The same goes for strategic assessments and conservation agreements. I appreciate the minister saying in here that the legislation clearly does not contain those loopholes. On that basis, he will not have any problem supporting these amendments, which make it absolutely clear that those activities cannot be exempted by the minister by any process or declaration from being assessed under the act.