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

The Queensland government is infringing on civil liberties. It has left thousands of public servants jobless, and it is attacking our environment left, right and centre. There is a real and urgent need to look into the actions of the Queensland government, and that is why the Greens are supporting this inquiry.

The Greens are pleased to have ensured that the inquiry's terms of reference now include specifically Premier Newman's numerous attacks on the environment. Premier Newman has rolled back state protections for native vegetation, for coastal areas, for wild rivers; he has allowed grazing in national parks and logging in areas earmarked for conservation.

Just this month, a few weeks ago, the Queensland government passed a bill through the state parliament—at four minutes to midnight—without any public announcement or parliamentary debate and moved a motion to that effect, which this Senate has condemned. The bill removed the right of anyone—landholders, neighbours, environment groups—to object to the environmental impacts of coordinated projects, the biggest mining projects in Queensland.

The Queensland government is trying to silence the community in order to let the big mining companies run riot. The Queensland government has consistently put the big mining companies ahead of the people of Queensland. This is why it makes no sense for the Abbott government to be trying to hand off environmental federal approval powers to the Queensland government or to other state governments. Australia's most iconic natural places and wildlife must have national protection.

The Greens will also make sure with the inclusion of those additional terms of reference that the inquiry also examines the regulation of Mr Palmer's businesses, including his proposed mega coalmines and his Yabulu nickel refinery, which threaten the climate and the reef.