Ian Campbell (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Heritage) Share this | Hansard source

I appreciate the interjection, because it ensures that I am able to inform Senator O’Brien—and I am absolutely hopeful that he asks a supplementary question on this issue, because it is important to the people of Tumbi Creek—that they have advised that they are going to do short-term trials of a system of dredging. They advised the department on 26 March 2006. The Australian government will fund up to two-thirds of the total project cost, with a fixed cap of $570,000 for landfill and the costs of roadwork. I think all senators would want to ensure that the work at Tumbi Creek takes place in a way that ensures that it is effective and also environmentally appropriate. If it takes time to ensure that that occurs, then all of us should support the Tumbi Creek community and not continue to heap scorn on them, as Labor continues to do with them and regional communities around Australia.