Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for the Public Service (Senator Gallagher) to a question without notice asked by Senator Thorpe today relating to a report on mining in the Beetaloo.

Apparently responsibility for Beetaloo comes under the Territory, so we want to know if you will rule out giving Commonwealth funds for the Middle Arm. There's no accountability and transparency in fracking or any kind of destructive behaviour to our mother Earth. There is no free, prior and informed consent. Labor does talk about consultation over consultation over consultation. We also heard from a Labor minister that consultation does not mean consent. It may be something that Labor need to learn a little bit more about. You can't just rock up and talk to people and think that they are consenting to a project.

There has been unconscionable conduct not only from the coalition when they were in power but also from the Labor government. They are still acting unconscionably by only dealing with land councils, who don't always represent traditional owners. Traditional owners are being bullied and locked out of meetings. They don't even get to have a say about any destructive behaviours on their country. It goes through a peak body that is funded by the Commonwealth government, and we see how that turns. The last NLC CEO is now a Labor member in the other place. So whoever allows this consent to happen so that the mining companies can destroy our lands and waters it seems are rewarded with a seat as a politician for the Labor government.

Question agreed to.