Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the Senate, and I thank Senator Gallagher for her question and interest in that regard. The government certainly welcomes interest from the opposition in relation to the EPBC amendments. Those amendments, as we have traversed in the Senate in different ways, which are well known, seek to try to streamline approvals processes between the Commonwealth jurisdiction and state jurisdictions and to ensure that the costs and impact of getting a development approved are reduced without undermining or reducing the environmental protections.

The government would very much welcome the Labor Party indicating its support to pass that legislation. If that were the case, then of course we would cooperate to ensure its swift passage to provide that certainty for Australian business and to ensure that Australian business has the certainty and has the opportunity to get projects off the ground at the least possible cost, with the least possible waste of time, with the least possible duplication, whilst ensuring—

Opposition senators interjecting—

I'm hearing the opposition is ready to debate it. What we would like to know is whether they are ready to support it. As Senator Gallagher has indicated—

Opposition senators interjecting—