Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to support Senator Bartlett’s amendment to the amendment of the Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management Legislation Amendment Bill 2006. The Greens also believe that the reporting date is absolutely ridiculous. The government’s proposed reporting date of November is ridiculous if they are truly trying to encourage a proper informed analysis of these legislative amendments. The proposed amendments are quite significant, and I believe members of the community will want to comment on them. To meaningfully analyse the import of these amendments takes a period of time. It takes time to get out and inform people that these changes are happening. As these changes have only come onto the agenda recently, people will not be aware of the extent of the changes. They need time to analyse them, to get their submissions in. Committee members need time to adequately consider the submissions and make meaningful comment. The time allowed is insufficient to give proper analysis of the amendments, so we are supporting the amendment to the amendment that Senator Bartlett just tabled.