Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

On behalf of Minister Hunt, I should point out that this is another example of the Greens ignoring the facts and wasting the Senate's time. An exemption is not required under national environmental law. It is up to the WA government to determine whether implementing their shark policy would have a significant impact. This has been the case since the Australian parliament established the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act in 1999, into law in 2000. The Australian government's one-stop-shop policy continues to maintain these high environmental standards. We suggest that the Greens take the time to properly research the EPBC Act before moving motions in the future. This government is committed to ensuring a proper balance between protecting public safety and protecting the environment.