Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

The Gillard government is committed to thorough environmental assessments under the EPBC Act to ensure matters of national environmental significance in the Tarkine region are protected. The assessment process under the EPBC Act is rigorous and there are a number of points at which the public is invited to comment. Mining and development projects are currently being assessed under national environmental law in the Tarkine region, as Senator Milne has indicated. The Australian government's role is regulating proposals that have an impact on matters protected by national environmental law, including matters of national significance such as listed threatened species. Only actions which might have a significant impact on matters of national environmental significance are required to be referred for approval under national environmental law.