Question Time

Mining legislation

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (14:32): It is a very good question, too. I am excited about it. I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment regarding regional mining.

Leave granted.

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE: On 13 November, the minister stated in this chamber that he was happy with the government's community consultation process on the mining bill, not once but three times, going as far as to say, 'I am very happy with the consultation that was done.' On 25 October in this place, when asked if the minister sympathised with the difficult position in which he has put the member for Narungga as a result of the broken election commitment to consult, in the minister's words, far and wide on this bill with the community, the minister stated, 'I do not believe I have put anyone in a difficult position.'

Yesterday, the Marshall government experienced an unprecedented blow, with four members of the Liberal Party crossing the floor to side with the Labor Party on deferring the mining bill. There is no record in living memory of so many government MPs voting against their own government on a government bill. My questions to the minister are:

1. Considering four government members in the other place crossed the floor yesterday to vote with the Labor Party—and I believe two members sitting behind you are also considering doing the same when it comes to this place—do you still agree that your pre-election commitments have not placed any members of your party room or the government in a difficult position?

2. Are you concerned about your pre-election commitments to the community that the government would consult far and wide on this bill, and do you agree they have damaged your government and caused an internal stoush that has divided your party room?

3. Does the minister feel responsible for the government having four members cross the floor within its first eight months?

4. Are you personally still 'very happy' with the community consultation process?

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Let the minister answer.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Members of the opposition benches, I would like to hear the minister's answer, not your answer for him. Minister.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment) (14:35): They can't help themselves, Mr President.

The PRESIDENT: Answer the question, minister.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: I thank the member for her question. It is an interesting number of facts that she put in her question. Members would know that in this chamber about this time last year the government at the time had a mining bill that was very similar to the one that is in the House of Assembly now. The then government—being the members opposite, the mob that are in opposition—wanted to ram that bill through, and it was with the support of the Greens and the Hon. John Darley, I think, and the other crossbenchers at the time that we said that we wanted to delay that until after the election; we thought it was important.

Some of the criticisms have been that this bill is the same as the Labor Party's, and it is largely a similar bill. There has been consultation on this issue for the best part of two years now. There was some consultation in relation to the bill prior to the election where I said a number of times, in my capacity as the shadow minister for agriculture, that we would have further consultation on it but it would be a matter for whoever was fortunate enough to be the minister, if we were fortunate enough to win, to conduct that consultation.

Certainly, the events of the last 24 hours have shown that some of the members of the Liberal Party—if anybody opposite crossed the floor, they would get expelled from their party; they can't actually express an opinion. Most of these people opposite were in short pants when we saw the Hon. Terry Cameron and the Hon. Trevor Crothers cross the floor, and they were expelled from their party. People in the Liberal Party are allowed to express their concerns and represent their constituents, not just toe the party line. As I said, I think the Hon. Terry Cameron suffered a significant amount of abuse, bullying and intimidation after he and Trevor Crothers had crossed the floor. Consultation is now scheduled to take place over the entire summer.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! I can't hear the minister.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: I can barely hear myself let alone anyone else, Mr President. As a result of what happened yesterday in the House of Assembly, consultation will now take until at least 23 or 26 February. There will be ongoing consultation and I expect that we will see the bill debated next year.