Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Deputy President, I refer to general business notice No. 1016 and seek leave to remove Senator Canavan's name from the motion—only because he is a newly appointed minister and it is not appropriate for ministers to be moving those sorts of motions in the chamber. Senator Canavan has asked me to remove his name, so I seek leave to do that.

Leave granted.

I might add that this was Senator Canavan's motion and he totally supports it. I move:

That the Senate—

(a)   notes:

(i)   That the Queensland Government has issued an environmental authority for the construction of the Carmichael mine,

(ii)   That the Queensland Government has acknowledged that, following 5 years of approval processes, there is no legal impediment stopping it from issuing a mining lease for the Carmichael mine,

(iii)   that Townsville's Labor Mayor, Ms Jenny Hill, the Queensland Resources Council and elders of the Wangan and Jagalingou people have all supported the benefits this mine will bring to Central Queensland, and

(iv)   the statement of the Queensland Minister for Natural Resources and Mines, Mr Lynham, that 'Everyone deserves their day in court, but not their four years in court'; and

(b)   calls on the Queensland Government to get on with the job of issuing this mining lease, providing a much needed economic boost to the people of Central Queensland.

Question negatived.