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

I rise today to speak on the important issue of Australia's environment laws. The laws of this country currently allow for the approval of big new fossil fuel projects—coalmines, gas wells and gas fields—without any consideration of the impact that these polluting projects will have on our environment or our wildlife, let alone on making the climate crisis worse. The Minister for the Environment and Water, Ms Plibersek, has said that her approval of the Isaac River coalmine had to be done because her hands were tied and there was nothing in the law to stop her approving this coalmine. Well, newsflash: this is the country's environment minister and it is time for the environment minister to protect the environment. If it is that the laws are broken then it's up to the environment minister and this government to fix them.

We need laws in this country that protect our wildlife, protect our forests and protect our environment from more pollution. It is not good enough to say that it's out of the hands of the minister and nothing can be done. We are facing an environmental crisis that is fuelled by the climate crisis. We are losing native species in this country at a rate never seen before. We are losing native forests. We are losing important iconic places in this country that Australians care deeply about. Heavens above—Australia's koala is facing extinction. And all the while we have an environment minister who says it's not her job to fix this. Well, it is, and this parliament should expect this minister to do more and to do better.

As we confront the reforms that this environment minister is going to bring forward to this place over the next couple of months, they must include stopping the logging and stopping the pollution. If we don't have environment laws that stop polluting projects with a climate trigger, they are not worth the paper they are printed on. If you can't guarantee as the environment minister of this country that you will protect the environment from further pollution, from the fossil fuel expansion that's making the climate crisis worse, then you're not doing your job. This is a fundamental issue that needs to be tackled. We are at a time in history when our environment is under immense pressure. Species decline is rapid. The climate crisis is getting worse, and we have the fossil fuel companies wanting to continue to expand their projects, pouring fuel on the fire. We need to make sure that our environment laws protect our environment and protect our communities from making these situations worse.

When the environment minister signed off and approved the Isaac River coal mine, only some weeks ago, the country was aghast. This is a government who have said—they went to the election saying—that they care about the climate crisis. This is an environment minister who says she cares about our environment. Yet here we have the approval of a coal mine that is going to make pollution worse and is located on the critical habitat of Australian native species like the koala. It is just bonkers that in 2023 we have environment laws in this country that don't stand up and protect the environment. It is not good enough for the minister to simply say that it's out of her hands. It's time to fix it. What is the point of being in government if you're not going to use the office for good, if you're not going to make the changes you promised people, if you're not going to stand up when it really counts? If you don't want to be the environment minister, hand it to somebody else.

There are 116 fossil fuel projects in the pipeline. There are currently five projects on the minister's desk awaiting approval in the next six months. That's what the government's own department advised us only a number of weeks ago. So, environment minister Tanya Plibersek has on her desk right now five requests from fossil fuel companies for her green light. The challenge to the environment minister today is: will you stand for the environment and Australia's wildlife, or will you do the bidding of the fossil fuel industry? Australians are watching. Australian children are watching. The future of this country and the health of our environment is in your hands, Minister. Do not let them down. If you do—if you sign off on these projects—we will fight it every step of the way, in this chamber and outside, because we are facing an environmental crisis, a climate crisis. In 2023, we can't afford to have mealy-mouthed ministers sitting on their hands and saying that it's all too hard and they can't do anything about it—not good enough. You'll be held to account.