Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On behalf of Senator Conroy, I seek leave to incorporate answers to questions taken on notice from Senator Madigan on 21 June 2012 concerning the Yallourn Mine.

Leave granted.

The answer read as follows—

Senator MADIGAN (Victoria) (14:49): Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Is the minister willing to guarantee that he is acting to protect the La Trobe River, the Gippsland Lakes, their farming, fishing and tourism industries and the diverse wildlife, including five endangered species, that lives on or around the lakes from the waters of Yallourn mine in accordance with the Commonwealth's Ramsar convention responsibilities?

Senator CONROY: The Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities has provided the following answer to the senator's question:

The Morwell River diversion was previously referred under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and on 19 June 2001 the project was determined not to be a controlled action.

The Compliance and Enforcement Branch of the department is aware of this incident and is making inquiries into the potential for this incident to impact on matters of national environmental significance including the downstream Gippsland Lakes.