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Wednesday, 17 August 2011
Page: 4627

Senator LUDWIG (Queensland—Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Manager of Government Business in the Senate and Minister Assisting the Attorney-General on Queensland Floods Recovery) (11:13): Just to reiterate, we are dealing with an agreed amendment under the Carbon Farming Initiative. I know that, for those following this debate, we have certainly ranged quite widely. The reason for that is that the opposition do not agree with this legislation and they are using every opportunity to filibuster. Filibustering is the course that oppositions can occasionally take to delay the passage of legislation. It is unfortunate that they are doing it in such a poor way. Sometimes, though, they do it in a much more entertaining way, one which is perhaps even more relevant to the actual amendment that is currently before the chamber. Unfortunately, here they are not.

Can I say again that, broadly, in combina­tion with measures announced in the govern­ment's Clean Energy Future plan, the CFI is likely to improve the productivity and sustainability of Australian agriculture. The Carbon Farming Initiative projects will be most cost effective where they enhance agricultural productivity and deliver environ­mental co-benefits, such as reducing erosion and salinity or protecting biodiversity. The Carbon Farming Initiative is unlikely to promote what the opposition are now effectively trying to hold onto as their last, single thread of opposition to this bill, which is the conversion of agricultural land to other uses. In all but the most marginal of farming areas it will not be cost effective to undertake revegetation of productive agricultural land, unlike their own policy of direct action where—with no department, no rigour and no modelling—direct action could, in fact, have adverse impacts. It is are far better opportunity for the opposition to agree to the Carbon Farming Initiative, pass the legislation and ensure that farming communities can benefit from what is environmentally and sustain­ably productive while getting the co-benefits of reducing erosion and salinity and protect­ing biodiversity and getting the co-benefit of an income stream.