George Campbell (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Abetz, the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources. Is the minister aware of the former environment minister’s proposed national code for wind farms? In pushing for the code, didn’t the minister say:

To help overcome this problem, it is vital that we make every effort to ensure majority community endorsement.

Didn’t the former minister advocate involving local communities in decision making for approving wind farms, particularly given the impact on property values? Will the current environment minister now follow the lead of his predecessor and propose a national code for nuclear reactors to ensure communities have a say in decision making and that no reactors are built unless they have majority community support? Or does the government only require renewable energy projects like wind farms to attract majority community support?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There are a number of issues in that question by Senator George Campbell. First of all can I indicate to the honourable senator that in fact the idea of doing community consultation in relation to wind farms, I understand, was first raised by the former Labor member for McMillan, Christian Zahra. So before the honourable senator gets too excited about that issue he might like to look to his own troops to see where that idea came from.

Having said that, one great thing about this government at all times has been our willingness to consult with the community on the difficult issues of the day. That has been one of the hallmarks of this government. Senator Ian Campbell, whilst he was Minister for the Environment and Heritage, did a very good job in consulting with the community. Senator Campbell has now been given the very important task of undertaking human services—he is still within the cabinet—something that millions of Australians are very concerned about. We on this side believe that it was in fact a vote of confidence in Senator Campbell that he should be looking after these millions of Australians, whereas of course Senator Ray thinks anything to do with human services is a belittlement and a degrading of position. But we embrace all those people who rely on the human services portfolio of this country. We are not ashamed of them. We think that is an important role, and that is why it is rightly in cabinet with Senator Campbell representing it.

Can I turn to the issue of nuclear reactors. Before Senator George Campbell gets too excited about that issue, can I simply remind him that under Australian legislation as it stands at the moment we will not be having nuclear power stations. Therefore—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

Order! Senators on my left will come to order!

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Those opposite are just so anxious not to hear the facts or allow the Australian people to hear the facts, because, once they understand the facts, the Labor Party’s scare campaign will fall to pieces—as it did with the GST, as it did with Work Choices and as it will do in relation to this issue as well. The situation they raise is hugely hypothetical and not deserving of a response.

George Campbell (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask a supplementary question, Mr President. Given recent comments by a number of coalition MPs, can the minister indicate whether he would support the building of a nuclear reactor in his home state of Tasmania? Given the need to locate a reactor near the sea and existing infrastructure, wouldn’t Bell Bay be a likely site for such a nuclear reactor in Tasmania?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is the embarrassing consequence of the Labor Party’s question time committee handing out questions: Senator George Campbell would have no idea where Bell Bay was—and I hope he does not know where Tasmania is, because if he ever were to come to Tasmania he would cause the sort of mayhem and job losses that he presided over when he was in the trade union movement in New South Wales.

George Campbell (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise on a point of order, Mr President. This was a specific question to the minister. It was not about my travels to Tasmania, although I have been to Bruny Island, where the minister has a holiday shack, and you certainly would not put a nuclear reactor on Bruny Island.

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

I believe the minister was coming to the question. I would remind him that he has 30 seconds to reply.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator George Campbell has finally excited my interest with his point of order, because I would be delighted if he could take me to my holiday shack on Bruny Island, because it would be the first holiday shack I have ever owned. So I would be delighted to be shown it and I look forward to Senator George Campbell taking me there! As I have indicated earlier, all this scare campaign by the Labor Party is based on a hypothetical which is simply designed to allow them to get into office under a false premise.