Ian Macfarlane (Groom, Liberal Party, Minister for Industry) Share this | Hansard source

Can I thank the member for Brand for his questions and also of course for his contributions when the Labor Party was last in government towards supporting the resource sector. He was at times a lone voice there but he punched well above his weight. So I thank him for that. He gave the resources sector some glimmer of hope in what was a very bleak time for them when, as I say, the Labor Party treated the resource sector as a punching bag and source of money or an ATM whenever they ran short.

In answer to his specific question in relation to Geoscience Australia, as the member for Brand knows, I am a great supporter of Geoscience Australia—and he was when he was minister and Martin Ferguson before him. We have moved to ensure that, in terms of their long-term appropriations, they have a very secure and solid future. I will confirm, however, that there was a $27-million reduction under section 31 funding from $62 million in the 2013-14 budget to $35 million in 2014-15. There was also a $1.937-million efficiency dividend imposed on Geoscience Australia.

More to the question, though, we do not expect there to be any long-term impact on Geoscience Australia. There have been some voluntary redundancies that have been taken, but as part of the overall efficiency which we need to achieve from our departments, Geoscience Australia is certainly able to assist in that regard. I have total confidence that Geoscience Australia has the resources it needs to do the job that Australia needs it to do. It is a pre-eminent organisation globally, it is well respected internationally and we certainly need to make sure that it continues to do that work.

In regard to coal-seam gas and the way that industry is progressing in eastern Australia, I have played an active role in trying to assist that industry to overcome some of the myths and blatant lies that are spoken about it. Along, as I say, with members from the opposition, we have from time to time needed to explain to our colleagues exactly what is going on in that industry. It is an industry which has enormous potential. As you, Deputy Speaker Scott, know more than anyone else in this parliament, it can bring about enormous beneficial change in the communities it is involved in. In your electorate of Maranoa and in my electorate of Groom, we have seen 4½ thousand farmers sign up to coexistence agreements with coal seam gas operators. I will give an example of the impact of that for individual farmers. I am sure Peter Thompson will not mind me mentioning his name again, or this number, which he stated in public. One of the Deputy Speaker's constituents, Peter Thompson, and his wife, Nikki, have said publicly that they will receive $6 million from coal seam gas companies in return for allowing those companies to operate on their properties. The reality is that that $6 million is without any investment from the Thompsons or any requirement for the Thompsons to be involved in any work or labour or any risk in terms of capital investment. It is changing the whole economic and social landscape of that region.

Farmers are cooperating and science is being heavily involved to ensure that the underground aquifers are not affected. The cooperation that has been going on between the state government, the local governments, people like Ray Brown from the Western Downs shire and, of course, the Commonwealth government has been exemplary. Unfortunately, that is not the case in other states. At the moment, we are seeing a moratorium in Victoria. Perhaps after the election, again with some encouragement from the Commonwealth government and some assistance from both sides of the House federally, we can encourage some development in that regard. In New South Wales I am more pessimistic. I am unsure how we can progress that issue. I have made a number of attempts, and I did, for a short time, consider a coal seam gas working group to assist there. But I have abandoned that idea.

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