Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Thistlethwaite for his first supplementary question. Currently, as you would know, there is no direct protection for water resources under our national laws. This new trigger will allow the impacts of proposed coal seam gas and large coal mining developments on water resources to be comprehensively assessed at a national level.

Farmers, particularly those in New South Wales, have welcomed the government's actions. Yesterday the New South Wales Farmers Federation said:

Farmers right across NSW have been calling on the NSW Government to deliver a more rigorous assessment process…

We have also had comments on this issue from senators in the chamber. Last September, in the Sunshine Coast Daily, it was reported that Senator Nash, while not opposed to mining, said, 'No coal seam gas developments should go ahead where there was a risk to aquifers and agricultural land…' (Time expired)