Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Good point, Senator: don't try and build a dam. But you can impact native wildlife habitat—koala habitat—to build a major piece of energy infrastructure, and that doesn't seem to be a problem. WWF will get on television and tell you that you should donate to WWF because koalas are going to become extinct, yet here we have a piece of infrastructure that will impact over a thousand hectares of native vegetation that is important koala habitat. So what are the appropriate terms and conditions on which all of these things are done? That's what this inquiry would like to do. The terms of reference would include, for example, 'identifying best practice approaches to the development and implementation of a fair national approach to compulsory acquisition consultation and compensation'. Why is the government and why are the Greens voting against that? The inquiry would look into 'the efficacy of consultation processes between Indigenous landholders, farmers and fishers, and Commonwealth, state and territory governments and energy companies seeking to compulsorily access or acquire agricultural, Indigenous, national and marine parks, and protected environmental lands'.

This motion is about trying to make sure that the development of the energy grid, which is critical for Australia, is done properly.

There is an extraordinary amount of work that's going to have to happen, and a huge number of communities, landowners and owners of access rights in fisheries and environmental lands are going to be impacted. All that we are looking to do is play a constructive part in that process to ensure there's a decent approach and there are nationally recognised processes, guidelines and compensation, because it's all over the shop at the moment. It is seriously all over the shop. It's different in Victoria to NSW and Queensland. A farmer in Western Australia gets less than a farmer in Queensland, and there's no ongoing payment for having transmission lines on your farm in Tasmania right now.

There's significant work that has to be there because Tasmania will play its important role in the development of the national grid, through the construction of Basslink, which is a project jointly run between the Commonwealth and the Tasmanian and Victorian governments. It's a really important piece of infrastructure for my home state, but it will also involve connection to the grid and transmission lines across agricultural land, particularly across the north of Tasmania. There are farmers in my communities that I've spoken to who are likewise concerned. There are communities who are concerned that the projects actually go ahead.

We had the Burnie mayor here yesterday to talk to the energy minister to make sure that the projects do go ahead, because she is concerned that the investment that will come from these new projects will come into north-west Tasmania and benefit her community, our Tasmanian communities. It is important that these things occur. It is important, though, that they occur in an orderly way. It's important that they occur under just terms. It's important that the compensation that's received is fair. If we are going to achieve the national goals that are set to expand the grid, the last thing that we need is communities out protesting against the development. The way we go about this is the most important thing. That is the thing that's going to make a difference.

And, can I tell you, at the moment, that's not what's happening. The government does not want the voices of these people, these communities, to be heard. We saw farmers come from Cairns to Brisbane to protest. For those that don't understand, it's further from Cairns to Brisbane than it is from Brisbane to Melbourne. It's a bloody long way to go to make sure that what's happening in your community is done in a fair and proper way. We had farmers in this chamber waiting for hours to hear the debate on this matter go ahead. They don't come to Canberra for no reason. The farmers do not come to Canberra for no reason. They're here because they have concerns. They're here because the government won't listen to them. They're here because they don't think they're getting a fair deal We think they should.

If we want to see the major development that is required to extend the grid to support the Australian economy—and, can I tell you, reliable, affordable energy is one of the key indicators to the economic wealth of the country and to the economic fortunes of the country—we've got to do this properly. The terms of reference for this inquiry have been written in that context, in a constructive way, so that this parliament, this Senate, can play its constructive role in ensuring that this is done properly and that we don't have farmers on tractors arriving at Parliament House in Canberra, Sydney or Melbourne or wherever else—or in their local communities—to protest at the way that they're being treated.

We want a process that's done properly and fairly, one in which they believe and feel that they have had a fair voice. The government simply isn't there at the moment.

They'll trot out their talking points. They'll tell you that this is just about people who don't want renewable energy to go ahead. Well, that's not why I'm standing here. That's not why, with Senator Cadell, I have put this motion up seven times now. I want to see my communities treated properly and fairly, and I want to see communities all over the country treated the same way. Why should a community in Western Australia get more than a community or farmer in Queensland? Why should a grazier in Queensland get more than an Indigenous owner in Queensland? Why are there dodgy contracts floating around out there at the moment?

The government really does need to come to its senses on this. As Senator Cadell said, we do not intend to give up on this. This is an important matter for our communities. The government can try and dismiss it and say, 'It's all about politics and people who don't believe in renewables.' That's not true. That's not the case. The government should come to its senses and support this reference, because we want reliable energy across this country and for it to be achieved in fair and just terms.