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

The Beetaloo Cooperative Drilling Program's design guidelines, application process and approvals are the ministerial responsibility of the Minister of Water Resources and Water. The government is opposing this motion as it is nothing more than a cynical attempt to distract from the Labor Party's internal divisions on supporting Australia's gas industry. The government continues to cooperate with the ongoing Senate Environment and Communications References Committee's inquiry on this matter, having responded to over 20 additional questions from the committee to date. This motion is an unnecessary drain on the Senate's time and the resources of the Public Service in the middle of a pandemic.