Ron Boswell (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I, and on behalf of Senators Scullion, Cash, Cormann, Eggleston, Back, Adams and Johnston, move:

That the Senate—

  (a)   calls on the Australian Greens and green groups, including the World Wildlife Foundation, the Australian Conservation Foundation, the Conservation Council of Western Australia and the Wilderness Society, to honour the promise they made in 2007 with the traditional land owners of the Kimberley, to respect the decision of the Indigenous community in its response to Woodside Gas’s proposal to process gas at James Price Point in the Kimberley;

  (b)   recognises the right of the traditional land owners of the Kimberley to use that land to create economic prosperity and employment opportunities for the Indigenous people of that region for generations to come; and

  (c)   expresses concern that Indigenous people who have exercised this self determination and accepted a single hub at James Price Point have been victimised, unfairly pressured by some green and conservation groups and subjected to racial vilification through being referred to as ‘toxic coconuts’ in publicly distributed material.

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

I seek leave to move an amendment to the motion.

Leave granted.

I move:

Omit all words after “That the Senate”, substitute:

  (a)   recognises the right of all traditional land owners of the Kimberley to free, prior and informed consent, on any project affecting their lands and to use that land to create economic prosperity and employment opportunities for the Aboriginal people of that region for generations to come; and

  (b)   expresses concern about the divisive nature of the debate in the Kimberley and the pressure on Kimberley families, subsequent to Western Australian Premier the Honourable Colin Barnett’s threat to compulsorily acquire land at James Price Point.

Question put:

That the amendment (Senator Siewert's) be agreed to.

The Senate divided. [16:11]

(The Deputy President—Senator Parry)

Question negatived. Original question put:

That the motion (Senator Boswell's) be agreed to.

The Senate divided. [16.18]

(The President—Senator Hogg)

Question negatived.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I seek leave to make a short statement in relation to the last motion. While amendments were going on, I failed to attract the eye of the Deputy President to seek leave to make a short statement.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for two minutes.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Native title holders are entitled to share in the prosperity that a major development on their land brings—jobs, economic development opportunities and income streams. Properly invested, it can all flow from mining and other developments. That is why we welcomed the recent native title agreement between the traditional owners, the Western Australian government and the developers of the proposed Browse Basin natural gas development. The government absolutely condemns racism in all its forms. It is important that everyone respects the right of traditional owners to reach agreements to share in the benefits of major developments on their land. For this reason, the government did not support this motion or the proposed amendment by Senator Siewert.

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

Mr Deputy President, I too seek leave to make a short statement.

Leave not granted.

Ron Boswell (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Deputy President, I seek leave to make a short statement.

Leave not granted.