Dorinda Cox (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

My question to Minister Watt was very, very clear about Middle Arm, the sustainable precinct in Darwin Harbour. There was $1.9 billion—we heard just right here in this chamber—given through the equity funds. You heard me talk about the fossil fuels and the 75 per cent of emissions that would be released through the Northern Territory on this one project.

The name of it suggests that it is a clean energy project. Well, that's 'greenwashing' we know, and actually it's greenwashing that's been government endorsed. They are removing words like 'petrochemicals' from websites in the Northern Territory. The minister couldn't even answer whether they actually had any hand in that, yet, when you go onto the website, it's very clear that they're in partnership—the federal government and the Northern Territory government.

There's been lots of conversations. But they cop some flack, because they go off to COP27 and their minister talks about how great it's been that they co-chaired the global climate fund and are helping other nations but they're not helping First Nations people. Larrakia people, in the Darwin Harbour area, have rejected this actual project. The lack of consultation is unbelievable, and yet this government will not even the answer about the public information that appears on this website that, miraculously, just disappeared weeks ago, and the Minister says, 'Oh, I don't know about that information.' He should maybe have look at the paper one day and see where that information is, because, clearly, they may be asleep at the wheel, just like the last government were.

This project was all part of the gas-fired recovery from COVID. Then we talk about the mangrove alliance. Well, here's Minister Plibersek from the other place, coming out in a joint statement with Minister Bowen, talking about signing up to the Global Mangrove Alliance to protect and restore, and increase mangroves absorbing more carbon to 20 per cent by 2030. Well, you can't do that while you're opening up fossil fuel projects in the same precinct. You cannot do that. You are not going store any carbon doing that.

Question agreed to.