Senator WOODLEY —I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move:

That the Senate—

(a)   notes that:

   (i)   5 June 1996 is World Environment Day,

   (ii)   the Queensland Minister for Mines and Energy (Mr Gilmore) has indicated that he intends to connect the electricity grid north of the Daintree River,

   (iii)   the connection would require a subsidy of more than $20 000 per household,

   (iv)   the cheaper option is stand-alone diesel/solar systems,

   (v)   the Far North Queensland Electricity Corporation's forecasts for the number of households prepared to join were inflated,

   (vi)   it would create a very expensive precedent for other communities which wanted connection,

   (vii)   connection to one remote community would cost $250 000 in subsidies per household,

   (viii)   the subsidies for connecting the grid to the Daintree area would require ongoing expenditure from the Queensland taxpayer, because charges for the supply of electricity will not cover maintenance costs of the system,

   (ix)   it would substantially increase the cost to both the Federal and State Governments for the Daintree rescue package and land values would increase, and

   (x)   connection to the grid is the most environmentally damaging option, as it would increase greenhouse emissions and require cables through the wet tropics world heritage area; and

(b)   calls on the Federal Government to demonstrate a real commitment to the environment by requesting the Queensland Government to abandon plans to connect the electricity grid north of the Daintree River and to continue funding the Remote Area Power Scheme.