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

by leave—I move Greens amendments (1) and (2) on sheet 6052:

(1)    Page 19 (after line 2), at the end of the bill, add:

Schedule 2—World Heritage values

Antarctic Treaty (Environment Protection) Act 1980

1  Preamble

After “AND WHEREAS it is desirable to make other provision relating to the protection of the environment in the Antarctic”, insert “and to recognise the intrinsic World Heritage values of the Antarctic”.

(2)    Clause 2, page 2, at the end of the table, add:

These amendments would give recognition to the intrinsic World Heritage values of the Antarctic. I heard Senator Stephens read out an excuse for not doing that. Of course, it was not an excuse at all; it just skirted around the reason and said that, in some way or other, recognising the World Heritage value of the Antarctic should be done in some other forum. No, it should be done by this country, and it is one of those issues the Greens will continue to pursue. This great global asset should have World Heritage recognition and that should start in this parliament. If it does not start here, it is not going to occur anywhere else. It is time the Labor Party endorsed its own policy of recognising World Heritage value in Antarctica, as passed by the Labor Party’s national conference, and it has been given an opportunity to do that here in the parliament. Unfortunately, it is not going to. I will not call a division on the matter, but the Greens feel very strongly about that recognition. We have heard no good reason, and there is no good reason, why this is not being supported.