Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Lazarus for the question, peculiar, though, the question perhaps is. Is there noise from CSG operations? Yes, there is. Is there an independent expert scientific committee that is extraordinarily well funded to look into the operation of coal seam gas?

Senator Lazarus interjecting—

'No, it is not,' says Senator Lazarus. Well, there is an independent expert scientific committee, Senator Lazarus. It has significant funding attached to it. You may choose to ignore it; you may choose to just listen to those sitting to your left. You may well be the 11th Green in this chamber, Senator Lazarus. That seems to be the direction you are taking. But, Senator Lazarus, the truth is that there is an independent expert scientific committee into coal seam gas and large-scale coal developments that does valuable work, that does provide valuable information to state governments and to the Commonwealth government, that helps to ensure we actually do have high-calibre analysis of what happens with regard to coal seam mining in Australia. There is a very valuable role that the coal seam gas industry plays. Senator Lazarus may be quite happy to see shortages in relation to gas in Australia in the future. This government is not. This government wants to see the development of our resources where possible. We want to see the development of those resources in a safe, sensible and sustainable way. We support the IESC in their work. They do incredibly valuable work, but so too is the CSG sector incredibly valuable to the safe and secure supply of gas for the ongoing development of this country into the future.