Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell. I refer to the proposed BGC brickworks under consideration on Commonwealth land at Perth Airport. I note that it was reported in the West Australian today that the minister is refusing to release his advice to the Minister for Transport and Regional Services. Can the minister confirm that he has provided advice to the Minister for Transport and Regional Services? Can the minister outline the general nature of his advice to the minister? Can he inform the Senate why he will not release his advice to the public?

Ian Campbell (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Heritage) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The point we make is that that is in fact advice to the minister for transport, who will make a decision about the proposal. I believe that that process should be allowed to run. The point I want to make about the process for the analysis and investigation of the proposal is that it is an incredibly thorough one. It has the most detailed public consultation of any statute in the land. It is in stark contrast to the Western Australian Labor government’s failure to do any sort of investigation into the approval of two kilns less than a kilometre away. The state Labor government approved the expansion of two kilns at an existing brickworks with no approval process whatsoever.

These are brickworks with emissions that are probably five, six or seven times bigger than those in the proposal that is before Mr Truss at the moment. As I said, expansions were approved with no public consultation. That is very embarrassing for the Labor Party members here. We have subjected the proposal by the WA Airports Corporation to a thorough environmental examination. That examination has been provided to Mr Truss, and I have made it quite clear to anyone who has asked that when Mr Truss makes his decision—and that is due in the next couple of months—I expect that the report that I have provided to him will be made public. But it would be a breach of process—

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Sterle interjecting—

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Sterle, you have been particularly noisy during question time today. I ask you to come to order.

Ian Campbell (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Heritage) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is not unusual for the Labor Party members from Western Australia to squeal very loudly about this, because when the environmental report is released it will show the incredible dereliction of environmental duty by their comrades in the WA state government. It will show that they have approved massive expansions of the brick production capacity in the Swan Valley without any environmental approval, without any public consultation and without any possibility for the residents of Hazelwood or the Swan Valley or any of the suburbs near the existing brickworks to have a say on it. Yet they want to score cheap political shots here. The Australian Labor Party members in the state parliament and in this parliament will be deeply embarrassed when my environmental report is released.

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Chris Evans interjecting—

Ian Campbell (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Heritage) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I look forward to releasing the environmental report, because it will be deeply embarrassing to the windbag opposite and deeply embarrassing to the Australian Labor Party. I look forward to Mr Truss’s decision and I look forward to releasing my report.

Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I note that in fact, according to the brickworks environmental review into existing brickworks carried out by the WA Department of Environment in 2003, emissions of hydrogen fluoride, hydrochloric acid and particulates repeatedly exceeded national health and safety guidelines and that, on at least one occasion, particulates emissions were 10 times the national safe level. How can the minister be confident that additional health impacts from the proposed BGC brickworks will not expose the company or the Commonwealth to compensation claims?

Ian Campbell (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Heritage) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think that Senator Siewert makes my case. We have a report of the state EPA into the existing brickworks which shows that the state Labor government, who have the audacity and the hypocrisy to criticise me for going through one of the most robust and thorough environmental assessment processes available within the Commonwealth of Australia, do not enforce their own rules. They do not allow public consultation and they do not enforce their own rules. I suggest that the senator awaits Mr Truss’s decision. I am quite sure that that will be made well within the statutory time frames. I will be very happy—as long as Mr Truss is happy, and I am sure he will be—to ensure that my full report is released to the public.

Michael Forshaw (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

So you have to do what he says?

Ian Campbell (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Heritage) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is in fact advice to him, and it is entirely appropriate that he makes that decision. But, as I have said, the report will embarrass the Labor Party severely, and that is why I look forward to releasing it and showing them as the deep hypocrites that they are.

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think you referred to someone in an unparliamentary manner. I ask you to withdraw.

Ian Campbell (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Heritage) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The entire Labor Party, Mr President.

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No. I ask you to withdraw.

Ian Campbell (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Heritage) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is not appropriate to call the Labor Party a bunch of hypocrites?

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is unparliamentary.

Ian Campbell (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Heritage) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am happy to withdraw.