Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President. I can understand the Labor Party's sensitivity. Yesterday, six of Australia's peak business organisations united in one voice, calling on the Senate to pass the government's one-stop-shop environmental reforms as soon as possible. They are the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association, the Business Council of Australia, the Minerals Council of Australia, the National Farmers' Federation, the Property Council of Australia, and the Urban Development Institute of Australia. According to this very wide and diverse coalition:

… one of the biggest drags on Australia's competitiveness is lengthy and costly delays in securing project approvals.

Research tells us that implementing the one-stop shop for environmental approvals would provide economic benefits to Australian business in the order of $426 million each and every year. If the Senate blocks passage of this vital reform it is risking $160,000 million in cumulative real GDP revenue, as well as up to 70,000 new Australian jobs. According to BAEconomics, in Senator MacDonald's home state and that of Senator Lazarus, 'a one year saving in the time frame for approvals would deliver over 13,000 additional jobs.' In my home state and that of Senator Lambie, it would deliver an extra 1,100 additional jobs. The Productivity Commission has assured us that this is a crucial reform that will make approval processes more efficient without compromising the quality of environmental outcomes. I say especially to the Labor Party that sacrificing principle and precedent for perceived short-term expediency is not good policy. (Time expired)