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

So it is appropriate protection to not examine independently the impacts of gold, silver, lead and zinc mining on ground water? That is appropriate protection for the groundwater systems of our most important Murray-Darling Basin system? At least you have belled the cat, Minister. At least it is perfectly clear that you are now seeking to remove protection for our precious groundwater in the Murray-Darling from subsidence impacts from gold, silver, lead to and zinc mining. You have clarified that you think it is an appropriate level of protection to simply have the water trigger on our books. It is interesting how, if you find it so appropriate, you are actually wanting to get rid of that water trigger and give it away to state governments to administer. You say the standards will not drop but you have legislation before this place that says those same standards do not need to be codified in those same state laws that will now perform the function of what used to be your job.

The rhetoric is just disintegrating before our very eyes. Not only with this proposed repeal are you reducing protection for groundwater in the Murray-Darling from subsidence mining where it is not coal seam gas or large coalmines, but you are also trying to trumpet the water trigger which you are trying to get rid of your responsibility for and give to state governments.

Again, I find it very confusing that you are maintaining that there is some kind of duplication here when, clearly, it is different industries that are being covered and when your government is doing all it can to get rid of its responsibilities to protect water under federal laws. I seek a decent explanation as to how you can still contend that this is duplication.