Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) | Link to this | Hansard source

This is a very short and simple motion. I move:

That the Senate notes that:

(a) on 10 September 2019, in relation to general business notice of motion no. 105, the Australian Labor Party indicated it does not like long, detailed motions; and

(b) the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 is ineffective at regulating habitat loss and is failing to prevent species extinction.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) | Link to this | Hansard source

The EPBC Act provides a robust framework to protect the environment against actions that have a significant impact on matters of national environmental significance, including on listed threatened species. This includes protecting critical habitat for endangered species. The second statutory review of the EPBC Act is due to commence by October this year and will review the effectiveness of the act.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) | Link to this | Hansard source

This is a petty and silly motion being put forward by the Greens, and it's not worthy of the Senate's time. The point that I have been making this week is that this part of the program is not here for senators to raise issues on which all senators should be allowed to participate in debate, particularly where there are varying views. The Greens insist on bringing motions here to have them dealt with in a way that doesn't allow for substantive debate, and it's not fair on senators or on the conduct of business in this place. That is the point I'm making. If the Greens want to retaliate by putting silly motions that waste the Senate's time, that's their own point. If you want to debate the EPBC Act, by all means bring it here and let's have a substantive debate on it. But don't waste the Senate's time retaliating to a point that I made earlier this week about giving the Senate and senators the respect of allowing open debate on issues that warrant it. This motion should be opposed.

Scott Ryan (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that motion No. 124 be agreed to.