Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

At the end of the motion, add:

"and, in respect of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Streamlining Environmental Approvals) Bill 2020, the provisions of the bill be referred immediately to the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 11 November 2020".

This amendment refers the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Streamlining Environmental Approvals) Bill 2020, which is being debated in the House of Representatives as we speak, to an inquiry. It is unthinkable that this government would push through this piece of legislation without allowing the Senate to do its job. If they don't allow this bill to go to an inquiry, not only is this an attack on the environment; it is an attack on democracy and an attack on our children's future, because this is about the health and the sustainability of our planet. If the government don't have the common sense to know that our job in this place is to inquire into pieces of legislation, to scrutinise them, to work out what form the legislation and the amendments should take in order to make sure we actually protect the environment, then I don't know what they think they're doing on the front benches. This act and this piece of legislation require a full-blown Senate inquiry. The arrogance of this government to assume that they don't have to worry because they don't want to have to hear about it! It's just absurd. It's arrogant, it's undemocratic, and it is an attack on Australia's environment and our wildlife.