Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

Thanks very much, Minister. I think I understand that. I ask one follow-up question to make sure that I'm following you. If the test in the EPBC Act, which you just quoted from, was an increase in scope 1 emissions—it doesn't have to be a significant increase; it's just any increase. Ergo, in my scenario, where I put to you that the time frame for the operating coalmine would be extended and therefore there would be an increase in emissions but it wouldn't itself be above the 100,000 trigger, I interpret what you've just read out as saying that that increase would therefore trigger the need for the environment minister to pass on the number of those projected scope 1 emissions, which will then be treated in the fashion that you've taken us through—namely, it will be checked against the hard cap.