Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

The minister, firstly, says that this is too specific and there are already provisions for this matter to be looked at if the authority wants to. Now she is arguing that it is too vague and non-specific. She cannot have it both ways. What the amendment clearly sets out to do is to make sure that information is independently gathered about the impact of mining on the catchment before that mining proceeds. It is pure logic and common sense and we should be clear about it in the legislation.

I have not heard anything from the minister that would give me confidence that the government supports such a study being done as to the Liverpool Plains or anywhere else. We have a great mining industry in Australia that brings enormous wealth to this country and employs lots of people. It is a very important part of our economic wellbeing, but so is the food-producing and fibre-producing resource of the land. In fact, in terms of employment, it is a much greater generator of wellbeing in this country. And sometimes these two things clash. This amendment is saying that if the two things do clash let’s ensure that the information is available for the authority to decide whether it is prudent to proceed, and you must not proceed if there is a substantial risk identified.

It is a reasonable amendment. It is what we are here as legislators to sort out and not leave to somebody else. But we are not dictating what an outcome will be; we are simply saying, ‘Let’s get the information, make sure it is independent and let’s make sure a good decision is made.’

Question agreed to.