George Christensen (Dawson, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister update the House on how the government is acting to protect jobs against extreme green 'lawfare', whilst ensuring the highest environmental standards are maintained?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do thank the member for Dawson for his question and I can assure him that, every single day, this government is focused on jobs and growth. Every single day, this government is trying to ensure that our country is open for business. One thing that we need to be open to is investment—the right investment in our country, the right investment in the projects that will give our country the jobs that we need.

I am pleased to say that, because of the good work of this government, particularly the Minister for the Environment, we now have, subject to the Water Act, a one-stop shop for environmental approvals substantially achieved. Thanks to the good work of this government, particularly the Minister for the Environment, we have halved the time taken for environmental approvals—the shortest times on record for environmental approvals—and we have given environmental approval to projects worth over $1 trillion. That is what this government is doing. This government is supporting investment and jobs, but I regret to say that some green groups are doing their best to sabotage investment and jobs in our country.

Let me make it absolutely crystal clear. We want the highest environmental standards to apply to investment in Australia. We want the highest environmental standards to apply to new projects in Australia. But, once those standards have been met, those projects must be allowed to proceed. For instance, let's take the Carmichael mine in Central Queensland. This is a $20 billion investment. This is a project that will create 10,000 jobs. This is a project that will power up the lives of some 100 million Indians for 50 years. It is good for jobs, it is good for global development and it is good for the environment because Australian coal is of a higher quality than the alternative.

This mine is being legally sabotaged by green activists running a strategic campaign against the coal industry and, in fact, against all large developments. I can inform you that this government will repeal section 487(2) of the EPBC Act, which gives activists the standing to sabotage decisions. This government knows where it stands on jobs. The question is: where does Labor stand on jobs?