Sue Lines (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I do not believe that I described the Prime Minister as lying but, if you take offence, I withdraw. One of the environmental consultants to the Senate inquiry described the government's claim that delisting will deliver additional economic and social outcomes and that the area was disturbed as whimsical and not based on any rigorous science, research or evidence. The government's submission to the Senate inquiry lacks any credibility. It is quite embarrassing, actually, and when I read it I could only assume the department were embarrassed. It lacks any credibility. There is no science, there is no rigour and there is no evidence to support the delisting. Again, in the Senate inquiry, the government tried to point out that it was agricultural land. I put it to the Senate today that this is nothing but a political grab to try to get votes for the Abbott government, and I would urge the World Heritage Committee not to agree. (Time expired)