Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications and the Arts) Share this | Hansard source

The amendment moved by Senator Griff would change the legal test that would apply to carriers that are restoring land so that carriers must ensure that land is restored to an equivalent rather than similar condition. I thank Senator Griff for his contribution. The intention of the amendment is to strengthen the protections that apply to landowners and occupiers. The government has made plain that the powers and immunities framework that carriers can take advantage of is a privilege and not a right. The government expects that carriers exercise these powers responsibly and considers that the safeguards that exist in the framework are critical to the sustainability of the system. However, after giving consideration to Senator Griff's amendments, the government isn't in the position to support them at this time in their current form.

Question negatived.