Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes with concern:

  (i) the Adani Group's proposed Carmichael coal mine, which would see 2 billion tonnes of coal dug up over 60 years,

  (ii) the amount of carbon pollution sourced from the Adani mine would significantly contribute to dangerous global warming, and further endanger the Great Barrier Reef,

  (iii) Adani company's history of corruption, tax-dodging and environmental malfeasance in their operations overseas, and now evidenced in Australia by recent accusations that Adani falsified a report into wetland pollution at Abbott Point,

(b) further notes that over 65 per cent of Australians oppose Adani's Carmichael coal mine, according to polling conducted on 25 January 2018; and

(c) confirms that Adani's Carmichael coal mine should not proceed.

Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Labor has argued that the Adani mine needs to stack up both environmentally and economically. We have serious concerns about its impact on the environment, particularly the surrounding water tables. The project is yet to get financing. The most recent reporting about tampering with data is very concerning and should be investigated by the government. We note that this motion could have no practical effect under the EPBC Act.

Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can't help myself. I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I don't think I have ever heard more weasel words in a one-minute statement than I heard then. I know that Mr Shorten has indicated that he's become sceptical in recent days about the Adani mine. It's interesting. He wasn't sceptical when the consensus from the international scientific community was that if we went ahead with Adani we would lose the Great Barrier Reef. He wasn't sceptical then. He wasn't sceptical when we put to both the Labor Party and the Liberal Party the record of corruption and of environmental damage done by Adani. He was not sceptical then. He was not sceptical when it became clear that there was an immense threat to the Great Artesian Basin. His scepticism seems to have been triggered by something called the Batman by-election. That's where his scepticism comes from. It comes from knowing that within a matter of weeks the people of Batman are going to make a decision about whether they want to see the Great Barrier Reef saved and Adani stopped. It's cynical, and he should stop it now. (Time expired)

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that notice of motion No. 672 standing in the name of Senator Di Natale be agreed to.