Jan McLucas (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Hansard source

I hope I can provide the senator with some clarity. What we need to be clear about is that the other activities that are involved in a coal seam gas project or a large coalmining development would be captured if they have an impact on the water resource. So, a port, which may be the point where coal is exported, would be assessed in a different way. But, if the activity has an impact on the water resource and if it is related to a coal seam gas project or large coalmining development, it needs to be assessed as a whole, so that all of those impacts that may impact on the water resource—or if they are related to a coal seam gas development or a large coal development—need to, by their very nature, be captured so that they are included. But that is the definitional umbrella, if I can say that. So the point you are trying to make is that everyone would be included only if there is a potential impact on the water resource and they are related to a coal seam gas or large coal development proposal.