Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I also rise to speak on the Native Title Amendment (Indigenous Land Use Agreements) Bill 2017. I would like to say today how happy I am to be speaking to an audience of schoolkids who are here in the Senate today seeing the business of big politics. I am just about to get started, kids; I am sure you can stay another couple of minutes. The business of big politics on Capital Hill in Australian Parliament House in Canberra.

It reminds me of one of my favourite quotes, which I am always reminded of in this House in the Senate. This quote goes like this—and you might have to think about it a few times, kids. I am not speaking to the children on this side of the chamber, I am speaking to the audience directly in front of me. Let us think about this quote, and this quote says:

The only force more ruthless and cynical than the business of big politics is the politics of big business.

And when the two come together, when the two join forces, they create an unstoppable force. That is what this legislation is here in front of us today. This legislation is the business of big politics helping out big business. That is what this is. Whether it relates to the Adani mine or whether it relates to native title claims in Western Australia, this is big business getting its way again in the people's house. I have absolutely no doubt about that.

This native title legislation is being rushed. It is being rushed and being brought to the Senate to be voted on for one reason only, and that is to satisfy this nexus, this connection, between big business and big politics. It is ruthless and it is cynical. Nothing gets in their way when there are profits to be made by big multinational corporations, and nothing gets in the way of big politics when there are big donations to be made to their coffers which help them get elected and keeps them in power. That is what this is about. That is entirely what this is about. Democracy is the best system we have, kids. It is the best system we have. Have no doubts when you leave here today: it is often hijacked by special interests trying to get their way. And big politics, the Labor Party and the Liberal Party, are only too keen to give them what they want. That is why you need the Greens in the Senate. That is why you need the Greens in the Australian parliament, because we consistently stand up to vested interests in this place. And that is what we are doing today. We will not be supporting this legislation in its current form.

I would like to pay my respects to my colleague Senator Siewert, from Western Australia, who has worked very closely with Australia's first peoples over a long period of time. And I will pay respects to you too, Senator Scullion—I am sure you are on our side of this debate but you are not allowed to say so. Nevertheless, I would like to pay respects to my colleague, who has worked tirelessly with Indigenous Australians since she has been in this place. She sat on the Senate inquiry. She has been involved in the consultations. And if Senator Siewert says this legislation is rushed and it pays no heed to the unintended consequences in an extremely complex and sensitive area of the law in native title claims, then that is certainly good enough for me. I have also read Senator Siewert's dissenting report and the information that has been provided on Adani by my colleague Senator Waters, from Queensland.

There are two issues we need to deal with here with today. I will get to the more substantive issues if I get a chance on the legislation in front of us in a second, but the most important issue is: why is this being rushed? We have a proposal for the biggest coal mine in the world in Queensland and the reason Senator Canavan, the minister for coal, the National Party and his colleagues in the Liberal Party—and also, seemingly, sadly, the Labor Party—want to see this coal mine get up and running is because of the business of big politics.

Guess who they are most afraid of? Guess who they are most afraid of in their marginal electorates, where they stand to lose seats? One Nation! This is a sop to One Nation. This is chest-beating, dog whistle politics, trying to get up a coal mine that cannot stand economically, or financially or environmentally on its own two feet. This is not a project that should proceed on any grounds. This is your future, kids. This is your future at stake. This will be the biggest coal mine in the world; it will have a remarkable and marked effect on global warming. It is your future. It is future generations of Australians that we are representing in here today.