Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, upon notice, on 2 February 2012:

With reference to the proposed strategic assessment of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area:

(1) How are comments made by a spokeswoman from the department, reported by Australian Associated Press on 11 January 2012, suggesting that the strategic assessment will focus on identifying and assessing cumulative impacts from major industry and port developments, including ongoing dredging projects such as that at Gladstone, which could affect the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, consistent with the following statements:

(a) by the Minister on Four Corners, aired on 7 November 2011, that 'I'd prefer a situation where as much as possible is able to be dealt with once we've concluded the strategic assessment, but people have legal rights under law to commence the process, and those processes continue in the interim'; and

(b) by the departmental Deputy Secretary, Ms Dripps, during the 2011 Supplementary Budget estimates hearing of the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee on 18 October 2011, that 'Any proposal for development along the coast of Queensland that was likely to occur after that point [the conclusion of the strategic assessment] would be included in the strategic assessment'.

(2) What implications, if any, will the strategic assessment have on the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) assessment process, conditions and outcomes for each of the following types of projects that are having, or are likely to have, a significant impact on the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage values:

(a) projects currently undergoing a project level EPBC Act assessment, where a final decision is: (i) likely, or (ii) unlikely, to be made prior to the conclusion of the strategic assessment;

(b) projects that have been referred for project level EPBC Act assessment since the strategic assessment was announced; and

(c) projects that will be referred prior to the conclusion of the strategic assessment.

(3) What implications, if any, will the strategic assessment have on the EPBC Act assessment process, conditions and outcomes for each of the following types of projects that are having, or are likely to have, a significant impact on the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park:

(a) projects currently undergoing a project level EPBC Act assessment, where a final decision is: (i) likely, or (ii) unlikely, to be made prior to the conclusion of the strategic assessment;

(b) projects that have been referred for project level EPBC Act assessment since the strategic assessment was announced; and

(c) projects that will be referred prior to the conclusion of the strategic assessment.