Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, upon notice, on 23 February 2012:

With reference to the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area:

(1) On what grounds was the classification of World Heritage not deemed to be a controlling provision for the Metgasco Limited Casino Ipswich Gas Pipeline (EPBC ref. 2007/3877).

(2) What steps did the department take in order to satisfy itself that World Heritage was not required to be a controlling provision in this matter.

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

The Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

The delegate in this matter determined World Heritage values not to be a controlling provision for assessment of this proposal, because no likely significant impacts to those values were identified. A major consideration in reaching this conclusion was that the proposed pipeline route is within an existing road reserve, and the pipeline would be buried for its entire length with only the mainline valves being above ground.

The proponent has proposed mitigation measures, such as weed control and ensuring all actions are undertaken within the existing road reserve, to minimise potential significant impacts on World Heritage values. The future assessment of this proposal will further examine the likely significant impacts on listed threatened species known or likely to occur along the route of the pipeline, including the Eastern Bristlebird and Hastings River Mouse.