Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I present the interim report of the Environment and Communications References Committee on Australia's faunal extinction crisis, environmental protections for native grasslands and the conduct of ministers, together with the Hansard record of proceedings and documents presented to the committee. I move:

That the Senate take note of the report.

This report is damning of the minister. It shows that this government has absolute disregard for environmental protections and will use the rules to suit themselves. Evidence collected throughout this inquiry indicates that Mr Taylor not only failed to disclose his vested interests but also sought to use his ministerial office and parliamentary connections to obtain special treatment for himself and his family, which is not offered to any other landholder in Australia. After considering this evidence, the committee reached the conclusion that the Hon.—or not so honourable—Angus Taylor MP, a minister from 2016 in the Turnbull-Morrison government, has sought to use his position and connections to interfere in the operation of this case in a way that breaches not only the prime ministerial Statement of Ministerial Standards, but also the expectations that Australians have of how their members of parliament will behave.

Mr Taylor has claimed that he was representing the views of agricultural stakeholders in making representations to the minister and his department. The committee, however, has found very little evidence to support this claim. It seems that Mr Taylor's claims are overstated at best and misleading at worst. This is rank abuse of position and privilege by the minister, and it just shows that this government cannot be trusted to protect the environment and cannot be trusted to keep their own MPs and ministers in line. It seems as though there is one rule for everybody else and a special rule for them. This committee report is damning and—make no mistake—this is just one of the issues that Mr Taylor is now facing scrutiny over. This is a minister who has continued to be found to be misleading the Australian people and the parliament, and to be abusive of his position as a minister. I seek leave to continue my remarks.

Leave granted.