Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Hansard source

Thanks, Senator Duniam, for the question. I think that Minister Plibersek has made it clear repeatedly—in statements to the parliament, in statements publicly—that she acted on the evidence before her and followed the advice and recommendation of her department, consistent with the law. So I don't think it assists our understanding to take a single comment that is made in a media interview, because it overlooks the balance of information that Ms Plibersek has put into the public domain about how and why this decision was taken.

The truth is that the decision protects around 400 hectares of a 2,500-hectare site—16 per cent of that site—and the company now has an opportunity to find a more appropriate site for the tailings dam, one that avoids cultural heritage impacts. If they do so, the mine can proceed, and the minister and I—everyone in the government—welcome the news that they are working with the New South Wales government to do exactly that. The department that Ms Plibersek administers stands ready, of course, to look at other options that the company proposes, to ensure that any assessment that might be required can happen quickly. Of course, that willingness, and the capacity to do so, reflects the investments that the government has made to improve on time approvals rates. Some projects recently were ticked off within nine weeks.

So I think, Senator Duniam, the minister has made very clear that she's acted consistent with the law. She took advice from the department and she considered the evidence that was before her.