Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Transport and Regional Services, Senator Ian Campbell. In view of Minister Truss’s statement that, as the Commonwealth is the owner of land at Hobart International Airport, the proposal for a 70,000 square metre Direct Factory Outlet and bulky goods retail centre—making it Australia’s largest DFO—must be assessed under a Commonwealth process, will the minister explain why the social and economic impact statement relating to the development, which would provide critical and necessary information for those writing submissions, is being kept secret? Will the government now ensure, in the interests of natural justice, that that impact statement is released immediately?

Ian Campbell (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Heritage) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The planning processes that surround Commonwealth airport land leave most of the state planning processes for dead. I am aware of the issues that surround the airport that Senator Milne is referring to. In fact, I am aware that Senator Eric Abetz has led a high-level delegation of interested parties from the vicinity to Mr Truss this morning. I am sure that Senator Abetz will be very happy to brief Senator Milne on the outcomes of the meetings with Mr Truss. I commend Senator Abetz for being proactive in representing the interests of Tasmanian taxpayers in relation to this issue.

Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order. The question asked directly for the publication of a social and economic impact statement. The charge is for the minister to answer that question: yes or no. Where is it? Is he going to release it? Is he going to inform the public?

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Milne.

Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Precisely the point I make is: will the minister guarantee that that impact statement will be released immediately? People need it in order to make their submission in relation to the development. Will he explain whether or not Tasmanian businesses are going to be excluded from the development because it is only for national and multinational chain retailers? Finally, would he agree to review the biased assessment process that requires the community to make its submissions to Hobart International Airport Pty Ltd, which is also acting for the developer and which then summarises the objections and advises the minister? Will the minister guarantee the release of the impact statement and will he review the assessment process to remove the inherent bias?

Ian Campbell (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Heritage) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Firstly, I make the point that it is the minister that will make those decisions. I know from working with Minister Truss that he handles these matters very diligently. Secondly, the Tasmanian businesses to which Senator Milne refers have already been given high-level and high-quality representation by Senator Eric Abetz, who apart from being an excellent minister is also an excellent representative of the state of Tasmania. Thirdly, the normal process is for the owner of the airport to make the submission, and it is not an indication of any bias whatsoever.