Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Emergency Management) Share this | Hansard source

The senator asks about the approach that this government takes to environment protection. The senator, in fact, already knows the answer to this question, which is that the Australian government has embarked on a program of law reform to improve the laws which govern the way that environment issues are managed in this country. In fact, we did that on the basis of a report that was commissioned by the previous government and delivered by Professor Samuel, who recommended wide-ranging changes to Australia's environment laws. At this point in time, the second tranche of legislation to implement those policy reforms is before this chamber. In fact, it is open to the Greens to vote for that legislation—to vote for legislation that would put a tough cop on the beat and increase penalties. It is surprising to me that the Greens political party continue to insist that they do not intend to vote for this legislation at all and that, despite going to the electorate and saying that you're the people who want to see reform, you're indicating that you don't want to see Environment Protection Australia, a new national authority, established.