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

I seek leave to move Greens amendments (2) and (3) together because I would appreciate an opportunity to review the guidelines that Senator Mason just tabled.

Leave granted.

I move:

(2)    Schedule 1, item 10, page 7 (after line 27), at the end of section 72B, add:

        (5)    For the purpose of this Act, an emergency dealing determination may only be made in respect of a medical emergency.

(3)    Schedule 1, item 10, page 7 (lines 15 to 19), omit paragraphs 72B(3)(a) to (c), substitute:

             (a)    a threat from the outbreak of human disease;

             (b)    a threat from an industrial spillage.

Greens amendment (2) relates to limiting the emergency dealing provisions to medical emergencies. As I articulated in my speech on the second reading, we have very deep concerns about the scope that these provisions may relate to. I was very pleased to hear Senator Mason say that the government does not see that these would be used for economic reasons. The reason I brought that up was that, very clearly, when we looked into this bill in the committee inquiry the agency representatives said that this may be used in economic circumstances. That is extremely concerning for us because we are deeply concerned about the release of organisms into the environment, and we are deeply concerned that economic reasons may be justification for releasing these organisms. I would like to clarify that to confirm what triggers would invoke the use of these provisions.