Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Xstrata Coal, following its Glencore merger, have yesterday pulled out of building their coal port on Balaclava Island in the Fitzroy delta of the Great Barrier Reef, one of those pristine areas that the World Heritage Committee recommended be off limits. Why is it that industry is voluntarily leading the way to pull out of developing these pristine areas rather than being compelled to by the federal or, for that matter, the state governments? Will the federal government now actively protect this pristine area from other coal and gas port proposals?