Angie Bell (Moncrieff, Liberal National Party, Shadow Minister for Youth) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Resources. Yesterday the Western Australian Premier, Roger Cook, was wandering around parliament pleading with every minister who would listen to please, please, please not cave in to the Labor Left dominated backbench on the EPBC bills. Will the minister listen to the Premier of her own state or to her left-wing backbench?

Hon. Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! I don't want to issue a general warning, but interjections are highly disorderly. I want to hear from the Leader of the House on his point of order.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

ThePractice makes clear the issues on which ministers can be questioned. Often I raise a point of order because there's one of the things in the list of the question that is out of order. On this occasion I don't think there is anything in what was just asked that is in order. None of it refers to the responsibilities of the minister. A question about whether someone who has been a member of the Left for 40 years—there is no level on which that question is not bizarre, but there is also no level on which that question is in order.

Ed Husic (Chifley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They forgot Mamdani.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Chifley will leave the chamber under 94(a).

The member for Chifley then left the chamber.

The member for Moncrieff is entitled to ask her question. To assist the House, she can make it just relevant to the minister's portfolio and, perhaps, the piece of legislation she's referring to—it may be with approvals or whatever. All I'm asking is for the member to make it relevant to what the minister is responsible for, rather than a comment.

Angie Bell (Moncrieff, Liberal National Party, Shadow Minister for Youth) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Resources. Yesterday the Western Australian Premier, Roger Cook, was wandering around parliament, pleading with every minister who would listen to please, please, please not cave in to the Labor Left dominated backbench on the EPBC bills. Will the minister listen to the Premier of her own state about critical minerals, or to her left-wing backbench here in Canberra?

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister was asked about critical minerals, so that's fine. She's responsible for that.

Honourable members interjecting—

Order! No. We're not having anyone behave like that. The member's question is in order. It's a very broad question, but the minister will be able to answer it regarding her portfolio.

Madeleine King (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you for that question. It's an interesting one—no doubt about it. I'm always pleased to be asked about the critical minerals sector of this country. I'm also really pleased to be asked about how Premier Roger Cook and I, and this government, are on a unity ticket with the development of critical minerals in this country.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Madeleine King (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Those opposite can interject all they want. They have referred to 'unhinged backbenchers'. Well, I can tell you where I can see them. I only need to look straight ahead, but you might need to look behind you.

I might, then, reflect on the backbench of our party. It's a fine backbench. Each and every single one of these people behind me represents a Labor government that is working for the resources sector of this country, that is working for the critical minerals sector of this country, that is working to achieve the legislative drive of this country and this government, under this Prime Minister, to reach net zero emissions by 2050. Every single one of these people is working together in the interests of this country. Right around the country, whether it be Western Australia or Queensland, or every place in between, they know what is good for this country, because they work for this country. They listen to their communities, unlike those opposite, who just listen to one another, as we well know. All we see in the newspapers, from day to day, is what the next argument is.

You come into this chamber and ask me about the critical minerals sector and about the critical minerals strategy of this government. Let's have a look at yours. The last time I looked at the critical minerals strategy issued by the opposition when they were in government in 2022—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order!

Madeleine King (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

How often do you think—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will pause.

Honourable members interjecting—

No. The member for Moncrieff is entitled to raise her point of order and she's not going to be interjected upon.

Angie Bell (Moncrieff, Liberal National Party, Shadow Minister for Youth) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, it is around relevance, because the minister was not asked about those on this side. The minister was asked about critical minerals, and the Western Australian Premier wandering around begging you all to listen to—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Resume your seat. As I explained, there was a pretty broad brushstroke. So if the minister can return to the critical minerals—and she is doing some compare-and-contrast, but, for the remainder of her answer, I don't want her to just specifically talk about opposition policy, because she wasn't asked about opposition policy. But she'll be allowed some leniency because of the nature of the question.

Madeleine King (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I said before, I am more than happy to speak about critical minerals. What we have observed, in this place, is how important the reforms to the EPBC Act will be for critical minerals and rare earths projects. They will be important for the framework agreement that the Prime Minister signed with President Trump just a couple of weeks ago when we were together in Washington.

It's this Labor government and these backbenchers on this side that are working towards implementing that framework and getting environmental protection legislation that works for the environment—'Heaven forbid!' those opposite—but also works for industry and for the community.

And what do those opposite do? They do absolutely nothing. They don't want to talk about it. They don't want to help the resources sector. They sure don't want to help the environment. You go back to your communities and ask them what they think. We will represent your communities, because you are clearly not doing it. We will work in the interests of the Australian people, while you just vacillate in your division and chaos for as long as you choose to. (Time expired)