Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

Mr President, I was seeking to point out to the Australian Greens that we might adopt their approach of accepting these sorts of decisions and determinations. Of course if we were to accept the Greens approach on this, we would be holding demonstrations and doing all sorts of things in contradiction of the decision that has been made. Having not read every single word of the decision, I am not prepared at this stage to say that we unreservedly accept everything in it—but we are responsible world citizens and we will acknowledge and accept the decision and abide by it. However, one can still be critical of the decision as not necessarily reflecting all the objective evidence, the overwhelming majority of which relates to areas of pine plantations, eucalypt plantations, roads, electricity grid wires and old quarries—apparently, now, all somehow World Heritage. That is the determination that has been made, and so be it. Unlike the Australian Greens, we will respect the arbiter in this matter, and that is the big product differentiation between the Australian Greens and this government.