Senator HEFFERNAN (2:57 PM) —My question is to the Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell. Will the minister inform the Senate of recent claims about the coalmining industry? Further, will the minister inform the Senate about the importance of this industry to the Hunter Valley and Newcastle?

Senator IAN CAMPBELL (Minister for the Environment and Heritage) —I thank Senator Heffernan for an important question. Indeed, I think most Australians would know that the coalmining industry is an incredibly important industry not only to Australia but also, because it supplies very high-quality coal, to many parts of the world. As I said in answer to a question in relation to uranium yesterday, it is in fact a service that Australia does for the world in relation to its rich energy resources, including natural gas, coal and uranium. We provide the world with energy as well as provide jobs for Australians.

In the Hunter Valley and Newcastle, which Senator Heffernan referred to, I am informed that something like 6,000 people are employed directly in that industry, contributing something like $4 billion to the local economy. That is why I was alarmed to receive a letter recently from a Labor Party member of this parliament that opposed the construction of the Anvil Hill coalmine at Wybong. The Labor Party member of parliament describes the Hunter as:

The member goes on to say:

That is a letter you would possibly expect to receive from Anthony Albanese. It is a letter you would possibly expect to receive from Peter Garrett or other members of the Labor Party who have not done their homework in relation to the energy and climate change challenges facing Australia and the world. But to receive the letter from a member from the Hunter—one Kelly Hoare, the member for Charlton, who has the audacity, having put her name on this letter, to in fact have a headworks on her letterhead—is the ultimate in hypocrisy.

We know that the Australian Labor Party is totally confused in relation to energy and climate change policy. You have Mr Garrett going in one direction on uranium. You have Mr Albanese going in another direction. You have Mr Ferguson going in another direction. We know that they are all over the place on uranium. As I described yesterday, there is only one single source that they have really signed on to—it is not uranium; it is pandemonium.

Here we are, knowing full well that the world needs reliable energy. Australia has an opportunity not only to develop its solar energy resources, its wind energy resources and its geothermal resources in getting steam off hot rocks but also to lead the world in terms of energy efficiency, appliance efficiency and water efficiency labelling; to lead the world in reducing deforestation and planting plantations of forests which chew up carbon at a great rate; and to have a portfolio approach addressing climate change in an integrated and multitrack way through energy efficiency and renewables and now, of course, looking at our part in the nuclear cycle.

But you have Labor ruling out uranium mines and getting rid of 20,000 jobs yesterday. Today you have a member representing the Hunter Valley, one of the world’s greatest coal provinces, ruling out coalmines, trying to close down that industry and taking out tens of thousands of jobs, when we know in fact that cleaning up coal, developing clean coal, capturing carbon from coal and geosequestering it are some of the many strategies we must pursue if we are to save the globe from dangerous climate change and provide the world with the energy it needs. Kelly Hoare should rest her head in shame. I table the letter.