Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern Australia) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—When this issue came before the chamber earlier, I indicated that we should adjourn any decision until the government had a minister in the chamber—they did not at the time—who could answer some of the questions that we had. I have to say that, since then, Mr Garrett has sent his adviser around to speak to both Senator Siewert and me and I very much thank him for that. The information given was very useful and there was a lot of it. I indicate and acknowledge that, again today, I received a call from Minister Garrett’s office asking if we needed any more information. So I do thank Mr Garrett, who is in my good books at the moment for having stopped the Traveston Crossing dam.

Notwithstanding all that, I indicate to the chamber that, in this instance, Senator Siewert has persuaded us, with I think science as well as eloquence, that the interests of those who are concerned about phytophthora would be better served if we did disallow this and started again. I indicate that, as well as the areas of Australia that Senator Siewert talked about, it is an issue in Queensland and, I assume, New South Wales as well. Certainly up in the north-west areas of Queensland it is an issue. Following Senator Siewert’s arguments, in this instance the coalition will be voting with Senator Siewert in the hope that we can get a better plan in place very quickly.

Question agreed to.