Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia) Share this | Hansard source

I think I just might be aware of this particular project, and I thank the senator for his question and for the advanced notice of it. I know that this project will provide very big benefits for our region, for our country, for our nation.

The senator did talk about environmental issues, and they are very important with projects like this. That is why both the federal and state governments have very strict environmental laws in place. We have some of the world's strictest environmental laws in place at both state and federal levels that have looked into this project over a considerable number of years and have assessed that it should be approved under those various parts of environmental legislation. We have put strict environmental conditions on the Adani Carmichael mine project to make sure that the environment will be protected while still providing the economic opportunities and benefits that this project can provide.

This project is about the environment, and the environment does need to be considered as part of it. But it is also about the people who can benefit from this project. The environment is important, but so are human beings and so are the people of Central Queensland—people like Bruce Hedditch. He has lifted up his life in Brisbane and moved all the way up to Bowen to buy the Larrikin Hotel to try to create a better opportunity for his family because of the potential benefits of this project. Now his plans have been stopped, his plans have been set in stone because of the actions of certain groups that are not interested in protecting the environment. They do not have that as their prime objective. Their prime objective is to stop projects like this—to stop the jobs, stop the economic opportunity and stop the potential that this project could provide for the people of Central Queensland and, indeed, for our whole country. I would ask those who are opposed to it to now respect the umpire's ruling, the rulings of various courts and federal and state governments, and allow this project to proceed.