Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

We, too, will be supporting the suspension, but we will be opposing the motion. In doing so, we note that the assessment undertaken by the independent expert scientific committee for this proposal was based on early information and their advice, therefore, necessarily identifies further information and data that is needed to address the questions raised. Labor notes that the environment minister must not approve large coalmines until the independent expert scientific committee has undertaken a thorough analysis.

Labor considers the early advice from the independent expert scientific committee indicates their analysis needs to be updated. This updated assessment must consider any impacts on the Great Artesian Basin and other groundwater systems; groundwater-fed springs, systems and ecosystems; groundwater bores; river, streams and creeks; and availability of water for agriculture users and the environment. In accordance with the standard practice of the independent expert scientific committee, the analysis should consider the cumulative water-related impact of the proposal in the context of past, present and reasonably foreseeable actions. Labor expects the results and modelling must be made publicly available immediately after the final document is received by the minister.