Senator LUDWIG (Minister for Human Services) (4:05 PM) —by leave—The Australian government is aware of the decision, announced yesterday by the Queensland government, to delay submitting the Traveston Dam assessment report to the Australian government so that additional environmental mitigation measures can be fully investigated. The Australian government acknowledges the rigorous consideration being undertaken of the potential environmental impacts of that project and notes that Queensland’s decision was made in the context of ongoing communication with the Australian government with regard to the potential impacts of the proposed dam on matters of national environmental significance.

It is entirely a matter for Queensland whether and, if so, at what time it wishes to proceed with the Traveston Dam proposal. If Queensland decides to proceed with the proposed Traveston Dam and submits a formal assessment report to the Australian government, that proposal will be assessed and a final decision will be made on the project rigorously, transparently and in strict accordance with the provisions of the objects of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.