Jacinta Nampijinpa Price (NT, Country Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Hansard source

Since I last rose to speak on this bill, there have been a number of developments which provide further justification for this bill to be passed. First, we saw a meeting occur last month with representatives from land councils across New South Wales and New South Wales government officials where many participants spoke strongly against the decision. This was a statewide meeting, called as a result of this decision and how concerned people are about its impact on land rights and about activism that is being allowed in the name of legitimate cultural heritage concerns. At this meeting, Indigenous leaders likened the Albanese government to mission managers who are disregarding the voice of Indigenous communities. When asked, the Wiradjuri present said that none of them had heard of the blue-banded bee dreaming story that Ms Plibersek used to claim the goldmine could not go ahead on the planned site.

Further on the topic of activism, earlier this month the Environmental Defenders Office announced a new specialist legal team to, allegedly, support Indigenous people who want to protect their culture and country. The EDO have proven, time and time again, that they are not interested in defending the environment, as their name suggests, but in aggressive lawfare which stops crucial development projects, and they're not afraid to use Indigenous Australians to achieve their aims. Groups like this will destroy our country and are another reason why this bill needs to be supported.

Finally, we've also had correspondence tabled in this chamber confirming that our objection to the minister's declaration is not partisan, as New South Wales Premier Mr Minns didn't support Ms Plibersek's decision. We're now also told that their resources minister, Courtney Houssos, wrote to Minister Plibersek just days after, with concerns about the threat to investment and noting the benefit that would be lost to the broader community. She's right.

If we don't overturn this decision, we lose millions of dollars to the economy every year. We cannot stand aside and let this decision decimate our nation, and that is why this bill must be supported today.