Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Education) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senators Duniam and McDonald for moving this motion, but the government will not be supporting it, because at its base the motion is based on incorrect assumptions and false premises. We welcome scrutiny of our policies. We've tabled correspondence from the minister on this topic numerous times. The motion refers to risks and potential economic damage. Our government would gladly examine the fact that the Liberals and Nationals put the reef at risk for years through their climate denialism. Those opposite are economic and environmental vandals who jeopardise not only the health of the reef but the 64,000 jobs that rely on the healthy reef and the $6.4 billion it brings to the Queensland economy. Of course our government continues to work with a range of stakeholders to secure the future of the reef. Only Labor governments in Australia and Queensland will protect the reef and the Queensland jobs that go with it.