Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to incorporate an answer to questions asked yesterday by Senator Bob Brown of me in my capacity representing the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities.

Leave granted.

The document read as follows—

THE MINISTER FOR SUSTAINABILITY, ENVIRONMENT, WATER, POPULATION AND COMMUNITIES

(Senate Question without Notice)

Response to questions asked by Senator Bob Brown of Senator Conroy, the Minister representing the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, on 15 November 2010, relating to that portfolio.

I am advised that, according to the company’s documents, the indicative disturbance area of the proposed mine and infrastructure is approximately 11,000 hectares. In addition to the open pits, this includes spoil areas, roads, rail, infrastructure and creek diversions. I am further advised we do not have enough information to compare this project to others in other countries.

The matters that are within the Minister’s portfolio relate to the environmental assessment of this proposal for its impacts on matters of national environmental significance, that are protected under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). Specifically for the Wandoan project, those matters are nationally listed threatened species and ecological communities, and listed migratory species.

The statutory timeframe under the EPBC Act for a decision on whether to approve the proposed Wandoan mine is currently 29 December 2010, which the Minister is contemplating extending.

As this proposal was assessed under a bilateral agreement with the Queensland Government, the timeframe for the Minister’s decision commenced on the day the Minister received the Queensland Coordinator-General’s assessment report on 15 November.

With regard to greenhouse gas emissions, this was a matter assessed in the Queensland Coordinator-General’s report and in the proponent’s environmental impact statement. The report contains estimates of the direct greenhouse gas emissions of the proposal. Under the EPBC Act, the Minister is required to consider all impacts on matters of national environmental significance, and this would include any impacts of greenhouse gas emissions if relevant.

In relation to studies on natural heritage, cultural heritage and water systems of the Surat Basin relating to the proposed Wandoan mine, the Queensland Coordinator- General was required to assess and report on all the relevant impacts of the proposal. That report included an assessment of heritage issues and matters relating to water systems, such as aquatic ecology and water supply and management. The Coordinator-General’s report is currently being considered by the Commonwealth, and no decision has been made on whether any further studies are required.