Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary Assisting the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is also to Senator Carr in his role representing the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts. The minister will be aware that an audit of the EPBC Act approvals for the Burnett River dam showed that condition 3, relating to the critically endangered lungfish, had not been complied with. I ask the minister: what action is the federal government taking against the Queensland Labor government for its breach of this condition and of the EPBC Act?

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President.

Cory Bernardi (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Families and Community Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Don’t just say you agree!

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, I will not be saying that. What I will be saying is that the minister I am representing today has this matter before him at the moment as far as his responsibilities under the EPBC Act are concerned, and there are a number of these measures in south-east Queensland. The decision on the Traveston dam will be made by the minister after full and thorough consideration of all the relevant information that emerged during the assessment process. The Traveston Crossing dam is being assessed under this act, as well as by the Queensland government under relevant state legislation. There are some 15,000 public submissions in response to the draft EIS and these matters will be considered thoroughly—as is the minister’s responsibility under the act.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary Assisting the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I asked about the Burnett River dam, not the Traveston Crossing dam. But the minister has drawn my attention to the Traveston Crossing dam, which is the point of my supplementary.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

He saw you coming!

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary Assisting the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rang him and told him what it is about. I have given him notice and he still cannot answer it! Minister, because the Queensland government breached the condition imposed on the Burnett River dam, can the minister assure us that he will not give approval for the Traveston Crossing dam because the Queensland government is simply incapable of complying with conditions put on it by the federal government?

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have indicated to the senator that the decisions with regard to the Traveston dam and the Traveston Crossing dam are being assessed under the EPBC Act, as well as by the Queensland government. There have been a considerable number of public submissions. The minister will consider them in accordance with his responsibilities under the act.

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.