Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Van. I'd be obviously very happy to introduce you to some of those miners who I've spoken to and to take you through what's happening in the Queensland coalfields, and, no doubt, the Hunter Valley and other places as well.

I may not have the most up-to-date information on this, but I certainly remember: when we had Senate estimates recently and I was briefed ahead of that, my understanding is that BHP have not provided any of the evidence to back up their claims as to what the extra costs on them would be. They've certainly provided information to the media, which have run their stories about the so-called extra costs that BHP will incur.

But the other point here is that often the claim is made by these companies and members of the opposition that this is a cost to the economy to try to fix this up. Actually, what it's about is where the money goes. And what we're saying is: the money should go to the workers who produce BHP's profits, not end up in bigger profits for BHP and its shareholders. Fair is fair. Workers should get a fair deal as well.