Lee Rhiannon (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) the green bans movement led by the New South Wales Builders Labourers’ Federation, the forerunner of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU), saved key heritage precincts in Sydney, including the Rocks and Victoria Street at Kings Cross,

(ii) the CFMEU New South Wales Branch has placed a ‘green ban’ on the iconic Parramatta Female Factory Precinct,

(iii) the Hobart Female Factory gained World Heritage status despite the fact that it is not as extensive, well-preserved, significant or as old as the Parramatta Female Factory Precinct, and

(iv) the proposed 30 storey, 3 900 unit development at North Parramatta would negatively impact the heritage listing of the Parramatta Female Factory Precinct; and

(b) calls on the Minister for the Environment to:

(i) acknowledge the national and world heritage value of this site, and

(ii) urgently approve the Precinct’s National Heritage Listing.

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government opposes this motion. The government is already taking action on the matter of the Parramatta Female Factory Precinct. On 31 July this year the Minister for the Environment announced that the Parramatta Female Factory Precinct had been placed on the Australian Heritage Council's priority assessment list for potential inclusion on the National Heritage List. The Australian Heritage Council is now in the midst of a thorough assessment of the heritage values of the site, after which it will make its recommendation to the minister on whether to include the Female Factory Precinct on the National Heritage List. This is a statutory process under the EPBC Act. Senator Rhiannon should know that this is the process and not seek to circumvent it.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

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

Question agreed to.