Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I am quite sympathetic to the Greens amendments. I understand what Senator Milne and the Greens are trying to achieve. I cannot support it, because I believe it is too prescriptive. But I urge the government to give a commitment that, when considering these nation-building funds and these projects, there will be clear criteria to achieve the goals of reducing greenhouse gases and to take climate change into account. If those criteria are not taken into account then these funds could be used for projects that are contrary to the goals that the government has espoused for dealing with carbon pollution.