Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Waters, for your next question. First and foremost there is an absolutely required process, which the government and its instrumentalities have to go through, to make sure appropriate consultation has taken place, to make sure that everybody who has an interest in a particular project has the opportunity to be heard. We are not in any way suggesting that any of those processes are going to be circumnavigated. They will be thoroughly adhered to and gone through. That includes consultation with all of the people who are impacted by any of these developments, including the Beetaloo Basin development that you are referring to in the Northern Territory. The Beetaloo Basin is a very important resource for Australia. I also understand that it is a very important issue for many Australians, and that's why we have robust processes in place to make sure that they are protected, that people's interests are able to be heard and broad consultation will be undertaken to ensure everybody's interests are heard.