Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I refer to general business notice of motion No. 299, standing in my name. I indicate that I am also moving this motion on behalf of Senator Russell Trood, a Queensland colleague who has taken a great interest in this subject. The motion relates to the Traveston Crossing Dam, and I ask that it be taken as a formal motion.

Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is there any objection to this motion being taken as formal?

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

I have no objection, but may I just associate the Greens with wholehearted support of the motion that is to be moved by Senators Macdonald and Trood.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—The Australian government is aware of the decision, announced yesterday by the Queensland government, to delay submitting the Traveston Dam assessment report to the Australian government so that additional environmental mitigation measures can be fully investigated. The Australian government acknowledges the rigorous consideration being undertaken of the potential environmental impacts of that project and notes that Queensland’s decision was made in the context of ongoing communication with the Australian government with regard to the potential impacts of the proposed dam on matters of national environmental significance.

It is entirely a matter for Queensland whether and, if so, at what time it wishes to proceed with the Traveston Dam proposal. If Queensland decides to proceed with the proposed Traveston Dam and submits a formal assessment report to the Australian government, that proposal will be assessed and a final decision will be made on the project rigorously, transparently and in strict accordance with the provisions of the objects of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I assume Senator Ludwig was indicating that he is going to support the motion, so I move the motion standing in my name and in the name of Senator Trood:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes the backflip of the Queensland Government in deferring the construction of the Traveston Crossing Dam; and

(b)

calls on the Queensland Government to remove the social threat to people living in the Mary Valley and to ensure protection of the Mary River cod, Mary River turtle and the Australian lungfish, by permanently shelving the proposal to construct the Traveston Crossing Dam.

Question agreed to.