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

My question is to the Minister representing minister for the environment, Senator McAllister. Last week in—

Government Senators:

Government senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order!

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

They don't find it interesting—well.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do believe it's your time as well, Senator Duniam.

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

Last week in answer to a question relating to McPhillamys gold mine, you said, 'The minister made her decision out of deference to the law.' Given that you claim the law is the reason for the job-destroying decision, will you change the law so it never happens again—yes or no?

Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We're back on this subject again. I have been clear, on behalf of the minister, that the minister does apply the law assiduously when decisions are put before her. It's a different approach to the approach that has been advocated by those opposite, who over the course of last couple of weeks have essentially advocated that projects they like should be approved and projects they don't like should be rejected—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cash, it's not your question.

Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

based on who the applicant is and based on the technology that the applicant or the proponent is bringing forward. Well, that is not the approach taken by the government. Incidentally, it's not dissimilar to what we get from down the other end of the chamber. We get a similar kind of proposal from the Australian Greens, who routinely come into this chamber and demand that the minister reject this proposal or that proposal. None of this is in the national interest. What is in the national interest is an actual framework that allows proponents, community organisations and ordinary people to understand the law that applies and to understand and have confidence that the minister will indeed apply that law impartially, based on the evidence that is before her.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Duniam?

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

Point of order on relevance, President: I did ask specifically whether the government, who write the laws of this country, would change the laws, not apply the ones that exist.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Duniam, you also referred to the way in which the minister made the decision in the first part of your question, and the minister is being relevant. Minister McAllister, please continue.

Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thanks, President. The senator asks about law reform, and I had understood that there was a consensus across this chamber that law reform in relation to cultural heritage was required. After the Juukan Gorge disaster, all parties—including the Liberal Party, as I understood—undertook to reform these laws. Indeed, Ms Ley was one of the people who made numerous public comments about this. This law reform process is underway, and the reform processes for these laws and others in this area are ones we would hope you would support. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Duniam, first supplementary?

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

I refer the minister to an answer she gave in November of 2023 relating to the salmon industry being under threat by this government because, as the minister said, a review into that industry was required by law. Given this review could destroy 5,000 jobs and that entire industry, will you commit to changing these laws so it never happens again—yes or no?

Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I think senators in this chamber understand, the minister has been required by law to undertake a reconsideration of the arrangements for salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour, and she has been very clear about her obligations under the law to do so. This is not a review that was initiated by the government, but it is a review that is required under the law. Again, in this chamber, we have one group of people saying the minister should make a decision based on their preferences, and on that side of the chamber we have another group of senators asserting that the minister should make decisions based on their preferences. Again, the minister will apply the law. It happens that a review of the EPBC Act and the framework around it is underway. There is legislation before this chamber that you could commit to vote for, but thus far you have not done so, and I invite you to actually jump up and vote for the legislation. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Duniam, second supplementary?

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

Thank you—no commitment to workers anywhere. Given the minister has now said twice that the law is the law and refused to change the laws in a way that ensures we end uncertainty for investors, the community and workers, how can Australians anywhere have any faith this Labor government will ever put regional jobs ahead of green votes in Sydney and Melbourne?

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am waiting for silence.

Senator Whish-Wilson, I've just called for silence. That applies to you.

Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am certainly very pleased to be invited to speak about this government's commitment to regional jobs and regional investment. I would point the opposition to the many, many initiatives that our government is supporting to actually see a rejuvenation of our industrial base and our regions and to diversify our economy. Perhaps I could refer to the $7 billion over the decade to strengthen Australia's critical minerals supply chains through the new critical minerals production tax incentive, something I believe you are opposed to. Perhaps we could talk about $1.7 billion over the decade for the Future Made in Australia Innovation Fund, supporting Future Made in Australia priority sectors, many of which are based in regional Australia. Perhaps we could talk about the $566 million for Geoscience Australia to progressively map the whole of onshore Australia—and we could go on. (Time expired)