RURAL AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS AND TRANSPORT REFERENCES COMMITTEE—PROPOSED REFERENCE

Senator Waters, pursuant to notice of motion not objected to as a formal motion, moved business of the Senate notice of motion no. 1—That the following matters be referred to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee for inquiry and report by 22 August 2012:

 (a) the economic, social and environmental impacts of Australia's domestic and export coal seam gas (CSG)/liquid natural gas (LNG) industry on:

  (i) surface and groundwater and future water licensing arrangements,

  (ii) agricultural land and food production,

  (iii) the coast and marine environments, including impacts on the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and industries relying on these environments, including impacts from pipelines, ports, dredging and shipping,

  (iv) the property rights and values of landholders,

  (v) rural, regional and urban communities, and the effective management of relationships between mining and other interests, and

  (vi) other related matters, including health impacts;

 (b) the greenhouse gas emission intensity of Australia's domestic and export CSG/LNG industry across its lifecycle, and the adequacy of accounting, monitoring and compliance of greenhouse impacts;

 (c) the potential impacts of other unconventional gas industries developing rapidly across Australia, including shale and tight gas;

 (d) the adequacy of existing and proposed state, territory and Commonwealth regulatory regimes to manage the above issues, including cumulative impacts and the appropriateness of `adaptive management' in regulating the industry; and

 (e) any other related matter.

Statements by leave: The Leader of The Nationals in the Senate (Senator Joyce) and Senator Waters, by leave, made statements relating to the motion.

Question put.

The Senate divided—

Question negatived.