Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

This bill obviously corrects a mistake made by the previous government, but there is nothing—I do not attribute any blame in that. I am grateful that Mr Gary Gray, who was the relevant minister at the time, is, as always, very frank and open about this. This is fixing an administrative error. As the minister has mentioned here, we all make mistakes. The important thing is to fix them as soon as possible. The minister in the other place clearly indicated that this was an oversight. There were reserves granted without ministerial approval, and this legislation, according to the minister's speech in the other place, is simply to backdate what would have been ministerial approval at the time.

I want to ask the minister a question generally about this area. Senator Siewert, in her speech, spoke often about marine protected areas, and I agree with most of what she said. Marine protected areas were introduced by a Liberal government, something the Greens political party have never acknowledged.