Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Williams for the question. Senator Williams knows very well that the growth of the economy and the support of our resources sector are most important roles for government. So, Senator Williams, I hope you'll be pleased with the reports I've provided this week. Two hundred and thirty thousand jobs were supplied to breadwinners who are supported in the resources industry.

However, today I can update the Senate that there are reports that the Mount Piper power station may be forced to shut down as a result of a recent court decision about the operation of Springvale mine, which provides the coal to that power station. In August 2017, the New South Wales Court of Appeal found that the New South Wales government's 2015 approval process should not have been granted due to the wrong application of the test on water quality. It has actually nothing to do with water quality; it is a technical matter. So that's now being dealt with by the New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment. Whilst this is a matter for the New South Wales government, I can tell you that the Commonwealth is very keen to see this issue resolved as soon as possible because it has the potential to have a significant impact on energy security and, of course, the social and economic wellbeing of Lithgow. The Springvale mine and Mount Piper provide for 600 jobs in the region, but, very importantly, it also provides for 15 per cent of the energy of New South Wales. To lose that would be a complete disaster.

The court challenge is as a result of another green activist group called 4nature. Time and time again, inner-city activists, who've never been to the regions and have probably never met any of the 600 people whose jobs are going to fall to the ground, campaign against the mines in the region. The rest of the world is building coal-fired power stations—China, India and Japan—with high efficiency and low emissions, which is the way of the future. We are committed on this side to do everything we can to support the resources sector. (Time expired)