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

My question is for the Minister for the Environment and Water, Senator Watt. I refer to the deal between your government and the Greens to change the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act and strip farmers of the continuous use exemption for vegetation not cleared in the previous 15 years. Why do you impose this on farmers but not on wind turbines constructed in rainforests and native Queensland habitats?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Hanson for the question. Unfortunately, Senator Hanson is wrong in her question. It is correct that, in the EPBC reforms we passed last year, we did remove an exemption that had applied under the previous legislation, which simply means now that farmers who wish to clear their land—in particular, regrowth vegetation that's been there for 15 years or more—will simply have to comply with the same rules as those who are seeking to build wind farms, solar farms or even coal mines, which I know is something that Senator Hanson says she's a fan of as well. What we've done is simply level the playing field by saying that the agriculture sector must follow the same rules as every other sector.

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

Small farmers!

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Canavan, I know you're upset that Senator Hanson beat you to the punch in asking this question and that, yet again, we see Senator Hanson muscle in on what was once National Party territory. Senator Canavan managed to do a press conference with AgForce, but it was Senator Hanson who beat him to the punch to ask a question in the chamber. I understand, Senator Canavan, that you're very upset about losing relevance in the bush. I understand you're upset, but I might answer Senator Hanson's question—

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Come to order!

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

It's the NFF, Murray! You don't even know the difference; you don't even know. You don't even know the people.

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Canavan, you're not in a debate with me.

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

You don't even know the question.

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Canavan, I will name you.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) | Link to this | Hansard source

It's interesting: Senator Canavan actually had a question today, and he didn't ask about farmers there. We all remember that it wasn't that long ago when Senator Canavan was saying that farmers were no longer the core constituency of the National Party. Senator Hanson's now trying to butt in on that.

Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

My point of order is on direct relevance.

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

I should not have to remind the chamber that, if senators make interjections, the minister is entitled to take those interjections. But, Minister Watt, I am going to draw you back to Senator Hanson's question.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) | Link to this | Hansard source

As I was saying, in fact what we are requiring is nothing different of farmers than what we have required for a very long time of renewables developers, mining developers, property developers. It's the same standard that applies to every industry.

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Hanson, before I call you—

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

All red tape!

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) | Link to this | Hansard source

You should have asked about it, mate.

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! I remind the chamber I drew the minister to order and, Senator Canavan, I drew you to order. Sadly, you were so busy interjecting you didn't seem to hear me. I'm simply asking that—

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

Why don't you go after him? This is a double standard; he's interjecting too.

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

No, Senator Canavan. You're not in a debate. I'm running the chamber. Senator Canavan, I will name you. You are persistently defying the standing order. If you continue to think that you can stand up and make an argument with me, I will use that standing order. Make no mistake.

I'm going to remind the chamber this is Senator Hanson's question and not to interject. Senator Hanson, first supplementary?

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

Minister, I totally reject everything you just said then, and I refer to the wide destruction of native vegetation at Kumbia, in Queensland, to make way for almost a hundred wind turbines, 290 metres tall. There are long-term plans to construct more than 30,000 such turbines across this continent. When will you acknowledge the double standards imposed on farmers in your government's unending war on Australian agriculture?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, Senator Hanson, you might reject what I've just said, but what I've actually just said are the facts and the law. Now, Senator Hanson, it wasn't that long ago that your party was demanding that this government do something about hate preachers, and then you came to Canberra and voted against legislation to do something about hate preachers, so your consistency—

Government senators interjecting —

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

My point of order is on relevance. That's got absolutely nothing to do with my question.

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson, I will draw the minister back to your question, and I'll also ask those on my right to listen in respectful silence. Minister, I draw you back to the question.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) | Link to this | Hansard source

Thanks, President. Senator Hanson, you say that we have imposed some sort of double standard. What we've actually done is ask farmers to comply with exactly the same regulations that every other industry has had to comply with for the last 25 years. Mining companies, renewables companies, property developers and anyone else who proposes a project that is likely to have a significant impact on the environment is required to have a federal assessment. That's now what we're asking of farmers in some situations.

The other thing worth remembering, Senator Hanson, is that one of the reasons we've done this is to protect the Great Barrier Reef, which in our state supplies 77,000 jobs in the regional communities that you claim you represent.

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson, second supplementary?

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

Minister, just in reference to the Great Barrier Reef, it is in pristine condition and it's going to double its coral by 2050. Minister, why is your government destroying our natural environment in order to save it?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson, you might not care about the Great Barrier Reef and the 77,000 jobs in Australia that rely on it and the $9 billion in economic turnover that it produces every year, but Labor certainly does. We want to hang on to those jobs that are in Cairns, in Townsville, in Mackay, in Airlie Beach, even in Gladstone and as far south as Bundaberg. We want to protect those jobs, and one of the ways that we're doing it is by requiring regulation of land clearing that occurs in the Great Barrier Reef catchment.

Again, we saw Senator Canavan be very upset about Senator Hanson beating him to the punch on this question. The problem for Senator Canavan is that, for the last few years, he, more than anyone, has enabled Senator Hanson and now he's paying the price.

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, have you concluded your answer?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) | Link to this | Hansard source

Just a little bit more—four seconds should be enough. Senator Hanson, we will stand up for farmers, agriculture and the Great Barrier Reef. (Time expired)