I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes:

(i) the concern shared by Great Barrier Reef dive operators, charter boat companies, tourism operators, scientists and the community at large, and the World Heritage Committee, about the destructive dredging and offshore dumping for the proposed Abbot Point coal port expansion, planned to be the largest coal port in the world, and

(ii) the withdrawal of BHP Billiton from the proposed T2 terminal at Abbot Point, citing lack of need for additional port capacity; and

(b) calls on the Government to listen to the community and our scientific experts and reject the Abbot Point dredging and dumping application and save the reef's waters, our coral reefs, fishing grounds and seagrass meadows from another 3 million tonnes of smothering dredge spoil.

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

Leave is granted for one minute.

I had indicated to the Greens that I would be denying formality on the basis that the premise of the motion is erroneous, and maliciously erroneous, and I thought the matter should go to a full debate. I have been persuaded that it might be better to allow a vote to be had on the motion at this stage, so I just want to explain that to the Greens, to whom I had indicated I would be denying formality.

The question is that the motion moved by Senator Waters be agreed to.