Brett Whiteley (Braddon, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Members, I do not think you would be surprised to learn that Australia continues to have among the most stringent and effective environmental laws in the world. But the coalition government will not stand by and allow jobs and investment in our community and the development and building of our economy to be threatened by activist litigation, which is also now known as 'lawfare'.

The question for Labor is: does it stand for jobs and workers or not? This government knows where it stands. I am not sure about those opposite. We know where we stand on jobs and growth and development of infrastructure and resources in this country. But where does Labor stand?

The Abbott coalition government wants the highest environmental standards to apply. But here is the kicker: once the tests have been applied and approval has been given for projects to go ahead, courts should not be turned into a means of endlessly delaying vital national projects that are playing by the rules. Local jobs and projects will be protected from vigilante litigants by removing from the EPBC Act 1999 the provision that allows radical activists to continually disrupt and sabotage important projects through the courts. Removing radical activists from the process will allow projects to stand on their own merits, as they should, while ensuring that they meet stringent environmental standards—some of the strongest environmental laws in the world.

This change will not affect any person legitimately affected by development. Let me say that again: this proposed change will not affect any person legitimately affected by development—they will still be able to challenge projects. But there is no place for radical green activists to push their political agendas on the north-west and west coast communities of Tasmania—or across the nation, for that matter. This provision is what allowed Save the Tarkine in my electorate to challenge and delay and challenge and delay both the Venture Minerals project at Riley Creek and Shree Minerals Nelson Bay River project.

Delays in these projects have cost the Tasmanian economy millions of dollars and have cost or delayed hundreds of direct jobs and many more indirect jobs. Once again, it sends ongoing negative messages to investors around the world.

I have had enough of it, and my community have had enough of it, and it is time to stand up and make the legislative changes that are required to remove these radical activists from the process. These delays have cost jobs. They have affected families and communities.

At a time when the mining sector is struggling, groups like Save the Tarkine engage in vigilante lawfare, in an attempt to bludgeon projects and mining companies out of existence. They know they do not need to have money; they have inner-city green law firms doing their work on the tick, until the worldwide donations roll in. But we are their experiment. In Braddon in Tasmania, we continue to be their experiment, where they have no care—they are careless—for the jobs, families and communities of the electorate of Braddon. They know that, if they appeal decisions, it is unlikely they will need to pay any assurance and, if they do, it will be smaller than the total cost for the previous lost appeal.

This is economic terrorism by judiciary. Let me say that again: this is economic terrorism by judiciary. Radical green activist groups are using the judiciary to wreak havoc on the very companies that provide much-needed employment and investment in my beautiful state of Tasmania. They know, but they just do not care. Tasmanians are well aware of these tactics and, unless the government takes action now, groups like Save the Tarkine and other green activist groups will not stop. There are no limits to their carelessness. There are a number of large proposed job-creating projects in Tasmania that are in the sights of green groups. This government is proposing to take action now to prevent future economic terrorism.

Very shortly the Senate will welcome its newest senator, Nick McKim—a member of the Greens party and a person opposed to development in Tasmania. He has form. He was a minister in the worst performing government in Tasmania's history. But the pressure is on Labor senators. Whether it be Senator Urquhart, Bilyk, Brown, Polley or Singh, they need to stand up, back local jobs in Tasmania, back families and back Tasmanian communities.