Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senator McAllister, move:

That the Senate—

(a) welcomes the release of the Auditor-General's report Referrals, Assessments and Approvals of Controlled Actions under theEnvironment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act1999 (EPBC Act);

(b) notes the damning findings from the Auditor-General including that:

  (i) there has been a 510% increase in the average delays for approval decisions since the Liberals and Nationals were elected (between 2014-15 and 2018-19),

  (ii) 79% of approvals assessed were non-compliant or contained errors,

  (iii) in 2018-19, 95% of key decisions (referral, assessment method, approval), were made outside the statutory time frames,

  (iv) conflicts of interest are not managed,

  (v) reporting arrangements are not consistent with the EPBC Act, and

  (vi) environmental outcomes are not being monitored;

(c) further notes that government cuts and mismanagement (Liberal Party blue-tape) is at the heart of job and investment delays, poor quality decisions and legal challenges; and

(d) calls on the Government to stop tying-up projects and strangling the environment with Liberal Party blue-tape, which is delaying jobs and investment, putting a handbrake on our economy, failing to protect iconic Australian species like the koala, and allowing the state of our natural environment to rapidly decline.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) 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. Sorry, Senator Duniam. Senator Siewert, my apologies.

Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson-Young has an amendment she wishes to move.

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

My apologies. Quite right. Could I go to Senator Hanson-Young and then come back to you, Senator Duniam.

Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to move an amendment to the motion.

Leave not granted.

Senator Hanson-Young interjecting—

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

Senator Hanson-Young, it's not up to the chair to point out who denied leave. People can own up to it. It can be observed by others in the chamber but it's not a matter for the chair; it just was not granted. I will go to Senator Duniam, who sought leave to make a one-minute statement. That leave is granted.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Morrison government's $25 million investment in busting congestion in environmental assessments has been made. Since last year we have seen assessment time frames improve from 19 per cent of key decisions made on time to 98 per cent last quarter. We have more than halved the time taken by the Commonwealth at the final stage of these assessments, to go from 90 days to 40 days. We're committed to reducing duplication and eliminating unnecessary delays and have agreed with all states and territories, through the national cabinet, to move to a single-touch model for environmental approvals.

Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) 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.

Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you—

An honourable senator interjecting—

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

No, leave is not granted. Leave is not granted to make a one-minute statement. I'm going to put the motion moved by Senator Green on behalf of her and Senator McAllister. Senator Hanson-Young?

Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like the motion put in separate parts, please, Mr President.

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

I will turn to my Notice Paper so I can accommodate that.

Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like parts (a), (b) and (c) to be moved together, and then section (d) to be moved separately, please.

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

I will do that. The question is that clauses (a), (b) and (c) of motion No. 750 be agreed to.

Question agreed to.

I will now put clause (d) of the motion as it originally stands.

Question agreed to.