Susan McDonald (Queensland, National Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senator McGrath, move:

That the following matter be referred to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee for inquiry and report by 1 October 2020:

The identification of leading practices in ensuring evidence-based regulation of farm practices that impact water quality outcomes in the Great Barrier Reef, with particular reference to:

(a) the existing evidence-base on the impact of farm water runoff on the health of the Great Barrier Reef and catchment areas;

(b) the connectivity of farm practices throughout the Great Barrier Reef catchment areas to water quality outcomes in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park;

(c) relevant legislation and regulation, including in relation to impacts of water quality, farm management and soil runoff;

(d) proposed changes to regulations that would impact on farm productivity and the potential benefits and costs of such proposed regulation;

(e) the wider economic and social impact of proposed regulations to restrict farm practices; and

(f) any related matters.

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

I seek leave to move amendments to business of the Senate notice of motion No. 1, moved by Senator McDonald and Senator McGrath, which have been circulated in the chamber.

Leave granted.

At the request of Senator Farrell, I move the amendments:

No. 1—Omit "1 October", substitute "the second sitting day in May".

No. 2—After paragraph (e), insert:

(ea) the impact of current Federal Government initiatives to protect the reef, including the $444 million grant to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation; and

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

The question is that the motion be amended in the terms circulated in the chamber. The question is that the amendment be agreed to.

A division having been called and the bells being rung—

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) | Link to this | Hansard source

I apologise for my late entry into the chamber on this particular matter. I was wondering if it would be possible for us to vote on the two parts of the proposed amendment separately.

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

With the consent of the Senate, I will cancel the division and I will put the two parts of the amendment separately. Am I granted leave to do that?

Leave granted.

I'm going to first put the first part of the amendment, if this is okay with you, Senator Gallagher, which is the amendment to the date—'for inquiry and report by the second sitting day in May 2020', as opposed to 1 October. The question is that the first part of the amendment to the motion, moved by Senator Gallagher—the change to the reporting date—be agreed to.

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

The question is that the amendment to insert paragraph (ea) into the proposed terms of reference be agreed to.

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

We'll move back to the notice of motion as it was originally circulated.

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

I seek leave to make a short statement.

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

I'll just clarify we're dealing with the original motion as printed in the Notice Paper. Senator Waters, leave is granted for one minute.

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

This inquiry would be another blow in the government's war against science. The government's been at war with climate science for many years and now it's at war with water science. The government's own scientific adviser, both the head of the reef body and the former Chief Scientist, Ian Chubb, recently wrote to the minister and said:

… we have more than enough to know that without action to address climate change and to improve water quality the risk to the GBR is substantial. … The evidence is strong, the science robust, the conclusions drawn from the science are sound.

This government is at war with science, and the reef is going to suffer for it, as will the 64,000 people whose jobs rely on the reef. This inquiry is like considering whether smoking causes lung cancer or whether the earth is round. This inquiry would be a complete waste of the parliament's time, because the science is crystal clear and scientifically illiterate politicians should not adjudicate on peer-reviewed science.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) | 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.

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

I'm only doing this because the failure of our amendments to get up has changed the voting intention of the Labor Party. We would have supported the motion with our amendments, but, as they've been unsuccessful, we will not be supporting this motion. The government voted against our amendments because they want a political inquiry, not an inquiry into the scientific facts or their performance in managing the reef. Is it any wonder that under this government the health of the reef has been downgraded from poor to very poor. Deloitte Access Economics estimated that the Great Barrier Reef has an economic social and icon asset value of $56 billion, supporting 64,000 jobs and contributing $6.4 billion to the Australian economy, but this government wants to put that economic and natural asset in danger. This follows the outrageous decision to hand $444 million of public money without a tender to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, and now, unfortunately, we won't be able to examine that any closer.

Malcolm Roberts (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) | 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.

Malcolm Roberts (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

First of all, I want to make the point that Professor Peter Ridd has got enormous courage and integrity. He has stood up and put himself on public trial, and he has been vindicated in a court of law with evidence under oath. The second point I want to make is that the Labor Party in Queensland is now embarking on pushing through bills that will smash the agricultural sector along the east coast of our home state, and it is based on a consensus statement—no science; a consensus statement. The third point I want to make is that there is nothing to fear from an open inquiry, because the objective decider in science is always empirical data—hard, measured data and observable observations. This is the key, and this inquiry is absolutely essential.

The PRESIDENT: The question is that business of the Senate motion No. 1 be agreed to.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Northern Australia) | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the following matter be referred to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee for inquiry and report by 30 September 2020:

The management of the Inland Rail project by the Australian Rail Track Corporation and the Commonwealth Government, with particular reference to:

(a) financial arrangements of the project;

(b) route planning and selection processes;

(c) connections with other freight infrastructure, including ports and intermodal hubs;

(d) engagement on route alignment, procurement and employment;

(e) urban and regional economic development opportunities;

(f) collaboration between governments;

(g) interaction with National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy; and

(h) any other related matters.

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

After over 100 years of discussion, construction is underway on the Inland Rail project by the Liberal-National government. The Australian government are confident that we have the right route, informed by multiple studies, including in 2006, 2010 and 2015, and multicriteria assessments on a number of sections. The Australian government and the ARTC have undertaken extensive consultation with the community, including with impacted landowners. The project will generate an economic and broader return to the Australian people. It is a transformative project, connecting regional Australia to new markets and transforming the way freight is moved around the country.

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

The question is that business of the Senate motion No. 2 be agreed to.