Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Agriculture, Senator Colbeck. I refer to the statement by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture last week on the Shenhua Watermark coalmine, and I quote:

There is only one mine that'll be in New England and that is at Werris Creek …

Is it the position of the Turnbull government that the Shenhua Watermark coalmine will not be finally approved?

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Tourism and International Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have to admit that I have not seen the comment from Minister Joyce in relation to that mine. The final approval of the mine and whether it is built or otherwise does not necessarily fall within the portfolio responsibilities that I am representing here. I will have to take that question on notice and ask for some further information. I do not have any specifics around the expression by Minister Joyce because I have not seen his comments. So I can only take on face value your representation of them here today. I am happy to come back to the chamber with further information.

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I might be able to assist the minister here with my supplementary question. Can the minister confirm that the Minister for the Environment has sole federal responsibility for environmental approval of the Shenhua Watermark coalmine under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act? Can he confirm that the Minister for Resources and the Minister for Indigenous Affairs are the only ministers required to be consulted by the Minister for the Environment in relation to the Shenhua Watermark coalmine?

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Tourism and International Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Sterle for the question. In the terms of pure responsibility within portfolios, I think you can take those statements at their face value, Senator. So I would not argue with the statements that you made in the context of the pure responsibilities of a particular portfolio. As the EPBC Act states, the environment minister is responsible for environmental approvals under the act. You are right: that is his responsibility, and he is assigned to that.

Members of this place are quite capable and have the capacity to make statements in respect of their own electorates. I think that is part of the democratic process. Unfortunately, on the Labor side, the only way that you can have an independent point of view—as Senator Bullock has demonstrated—is to resign from the parliament. You cannot have an independent point of view— (Time expired)

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Why is the Minister for Agriculture and not the Minister for the Environment making announcements on national television about the future of this project?

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Tourism and International Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I was just saying, as the local member in that area, I think it is quite pertinent that the minister make his opinion known on something that is happening in his patch. I would expect any member of parliament to be able to do that. We know that the only way that a member of the Labor Party can have an independent view is to resign from the parliament, because their rules do not allow them to have a differential perspective.

I think Minister Joyce should be able to, quite reasonably, make comments about what is going on in his electorate and make representations to his colleagues in that context. That is what we are elected to do. That is why we are here.