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

Minister, I now want to move to the question of salt. It was raised by a number of speakers in the second reading debate on this bill—that is, the sheer vast amount of salt that will be produced as a result of coal seam gas mining. I would like to confirm whether my understanding is correct. In looking at clause 505D of this bill, which talks about the functions of the committee and what they will be asked by the minister to consider, it seems to me that they will only consider a significant impact on water resources. They will not consider the impact on the environment more broadly from issues like the vast amounts of salt or, for that matter, from the fugitive emissions on our climate. Can the minister explain whether or not the government turned its mind to including salt—or climate, for that matter—when drafting this bill?