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

The minister has pointed to a section of the bill which she says would enable a study of the impact on the water catchment to be undertaken if the authority were to so ordain. I ask the minister: will she or will the government seek to have an independent study of the potential impact on the aquifer of BHP Billiton’s plan undertaken? And is she prepared to have the Commonwealth fund such a study, to at least clear the air on the potential impact on the Liverpool plains of the proposed massive mining operation that BHP Billiton have in mind?