Zed Seselja (ACT, Liberal Party, Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Hansard source

The government does not support the amendments on sheet 1510. The proposed amendments would omit the commencement date for entire schedule 2—mining. And the changes to part 4 proposed in the bill would not take effect. These amendments follow from an independent review in 2013 and have the agreement of the Northern Territory government and the four Northern Territory land councils, in consultation with key resource sector peak bodies. Importantly, the reforms preserve existing strong protections for traditional owners, including their right to free, prior and informed consent and their right to veto exploration and mining proposals on their land. The proposed amendment would not achieve increased confidence and clarity for all stakeholders and would not empower traditional owners to take advantage of opportunities on their land.

The CHAIR ( 19:50 ): I just advise the Senate that we are dealing with schedule 2 on sheet 1510. The question is that schedule 2 stand as printed.

The CHAIR ( 18:51 ): I will just advise the Senate that Senator Thorpe also moved sheet No. 1 on sheet 1510, but as a consequence of the outcome of the first one that falls away because it's consequential. So I'm in the hands of the Senate. Senator Thorpe.