Malcolm Roberts (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, my question is to the Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, Senator Canavan. Is the minister aware of the anti-human and anti-environment Greens agenda that aims to destroy the jobs and livelihoods of average Queenslanders? In particular, their specific opposition to the job-creating, vitally important Adani coalmining project in Central Queensland. Can the minister please inform the Senate of specific threats to progressing this mining project's development and operation? Can the minister please explain to the Senate the substantial local, regional, state, national and global humanitarian and environmental benefits of the mine?

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think I just might be aware of this particular project, and I thank the senator for his question and for the advanced notice of it. I know that this project will provide very big benefits for our region, for our country, for our nation.

The senator did talk about environmental issues, and they are very important with projects like this. That is why both the federal and state governments have very strict environmental laws in place. We have some of the world's strictest environmental laws in place at both state and federal levels that have looked into this project over a considerable number of years and have assessed that it should be approved under those various parts of environmental legislation. We have put strict environmental conditions on the Adani Carmichael mine project to make sure that the environment will be protected while still providing the economic opportunities and benefits that this project can provide.

This project is about the environment, and the environment does need to be considered as part of it. But it is also about the people who can benefit from this project. The environment is important, but so are human beings and so are the people of Central Queensland—people like Bruce Hedditch. He has lifted up his life in Brisbane and moved all the way up to Bowen to buy the Larrikin Hotel to try to create a better opportunity for his family because of the potential benefits of this project. Now his plans have been stopped, his plans have been set in stone because of the actions of certain groups that are not interested in protecting the environment. They do not have that as their prime objective. Their prime objective is to stop projects like this—to stop the jobs, stop the economic opportunity and stop the potential that this project could provide for the people of Central Queensland and, indeed, for our whole country. I would ask those who are opposed to it to now respect the umpire's ruling, the rulings of various courts and federal and state governments, and allow this project to proceed.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Supplementary question, Senator Roberts.

Malcolm Roberts (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Given that the Greens' attempt to kill these regional Queensland jobs relies on the claim that the use of coal, gas and oil will have a detrimental effect on the global climate, can the minister please provide to the chamber the specific location of data that proves their claims that humans affect global climate change that is also articulated in his party's political platform?

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The federal government's position is that we accept the science on climate change, as advised to us by the authorities. And because we accept that science we have put in place varying substantial targets to reduce carbon emissions over the next few years. We accepted at the Paris climate conference agreements that we should reduce our climate change impacts to between 26 and 28 per cent by 2030. That is based on the advice that we have received; it is calibrated to what the rest of the world is doing and is the appropriate course of action we should take.

But putting it in the context of the project that the senator has referred to, that project can still proceed within these targets. That project provides broader benefits to developing countries overseas who do not have the electricity that we do. That is why we should support projects like this, to make the world a better place while still meeting our climate change reduction targets.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Final supplementary question, Senator Roberts.

Malcolm Roberts (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Considering the fact that so many of the minister's party's policy positions and the Greens' manifesto are based on opinions and beliefs of the CSIRO, can the minister assist me in obtaining a meeting with the CSIRO, who have today refused my request for a presentation after yesterday initially agreeing to such a presentation? Would the minister agree that the information that the CSIRO could provide to me in such a presentation would assist in providing support for the Adani mine? (Time expired)

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The CSIRO is not an organisation in my direct portfolio responsibility, but my office was in contact with Minister Hunt this morning. I am advised that the minister has received Senator Roberts's request, and the minister will of course be pleased to assist with arranging a meeting between the senator and the CSIRO at a time that is appropriate to both parties.