Senator Siewert» (Western Australia) asked the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts, upon notice, on 3 September 2008:

With reference to the findings of recent reports, such as the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation's Water availability in the Murray: A report to the Australian Government from the CSIRO Murray-Darling Basin Sustainable Yields Project , dated July 2008 and Water availability in the Goulburn-Broken: A report to the Australian Government from the CSIRO Murray-Darling Basin Sustainable Yields Project , dated May 2008 and the report by the Murray-Darling Basin Commission Sustainable Rivers Audit: A report on the ecological health of rivers in the Murray-Darling Basin, 2004-2007 , dated June 2008, which suggest that the impacts on the Goulburn and Murray systems of sending water to Melbourne may be much greater then initially thought: Will the Sugarloaf Pipeline proposal be reconsidered under section 78A of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity 48 No. 27-4 September 2008 Conservation Act 1999 to assess its impact on the Ramsar-listed wetlands further down the river system and the migratory bird species which are protected by international conventions; if not, why not.

Senator Siewert (Western Australia) asked the Minister representing the Treasurer, upon notice, on 10 July 2008:

With reference to Tax Expenditures Statement - 2007:

(1)
Can details be provided of how the department estimates the tax expenditures of capped exemptions for: (a) certain public and not-for-profit hospitals under Tax Expenditure Statement (TES) reference code D6; and (b) public benevolent institutions, excluding public hospitals, under TES reference code D8.
(2) (a)
How many people does the department estimate utilise the fringe benefits tax exemption for both categories in (1) above; and (b) what amount of tax does the department estimate is foregone by on average per person for each of these tax free thresholds.
(3)
What assumptions are made to calculate: (a) the number of people who take advantage of the capped exemption for both of the exemptions in (1) above, and the growth in numbers over the forward years; and (b) the amount of tax forgone for each person.
(4)
Can an explanation be provided for the significant discrepancy in tax expenditure estimates from 2006 to 2007 in the capped exemption for public benevolent institutions (excluding public hospitals) under TES reference code D8.

Senator Siewert (Western Australia) asked the Minister representing the Treasurer, upon notice, on 20 June 2008:

In regard to the statement on page xxxvi of the Executive Overview of the report of the Independent Committee of Inquiry into National Competition Policy (The Hilmer report) where it is stated that, in addition to ‘its own Secretariat of perhaps 20 persons, in many cases it would be appropriate for [the Council] to contract out analytical work to other bodies, such as the Industry Commission': Was that recommendation implemented; if so, how much of a role did the Industry Commission and its successor the Productivity Commission play in the decisions and recommendations of the National Competition Council.

Senator Siewert asked the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts, upon notice, on 7 April 2008:

In regard to formation waters produced from offshore facilities:

1. Can detailed information on waste waters (total produced formation waters) discharged into the ocean during 2005 and 2006 from all production platforms around the north west coast of Australia be provided, including: (a) the following Timor Sea producing platforms, feeding Darwin (off the North Kimberley Coast): Puffin, Jabiru, Challis/Cassini, Blacktip (Bonaparte Basin, close to the Kimberley Coast near Berkeley), Bayu Undan, Buffalo and Laminaria East; and (b) the following Pilbara producing platforms: Mutineer, Exeter, Hermes, Lambert, Angel, Cossack, Wanaea, Legendre North, Legendre South, Wandoo, Stag, North Rankin, Perseus, Echo/Yodel, Goodwyn South/Pueblo, John Brookes, East Spar, Woollybutt, Chinook/Scindian, Griffin, Yammaderry, Cowle, Crest, Saladin, Skate, Roller, Novara, Enfield, Vincent, Eskdale, Skybarrow, Campbell, Wonnich, Endymion/Sinbad, Bambra, Linda, Harriet/Gudrun, Lee/Rose, North Alkimos, Agincourt, Gipsy, Monet/Simpson/Tanami, S. Plato, Little Sandy/Pedirka/North Pedirka/Hoover, Victoria and Double Island?
2. What is the total volume of waste water discharged per year?
3. What is the breakdown and concentration, in milligrams per litre, of heavy metal pollution index (HPI) substances in the formation water?
4. What mass of HPI substances, in kilograms per year, was emitted from each platform listed in paragraph (1) during 2005 and 2006?
   

Senator Siewert (Western Australia) asked the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts, upon notice, on 24 June 2008:

1. When was the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and the Queensland Environmental Protection Agency notified by the department of the section 9 emergency declaration application made under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984 with respect to the construction of the dingo fence at Happy Valley.
2. Why did it take 8 days after the application was made for work to stop on the construction of the dingo fence.
3. Was there a stop work order given to stop construction of the dingo fence.
   Why did representatives from the department attend a meeting at Fraser Island on Tuesday, 20 May 2008, when an earlier section 9 emergency declaration application had been withdrawn on Friday, 9 May 2008 and federal jurisdiction consequently removed.
4. Have the ground disturbance guidelines been reviewed by the Fraser Island World Heritage Area Indigenous Advisory Committee and the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service; if so, when did that review occur
5. How will any disturbed cultural heritage sites along the dingo fence on Fraser Island be remediated.
   

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Senator Eric Abetz. I draw the minister's attention to the announcement by South Australia's water minister today that, if the South Australian allocation dropped below 50 per cent next year or they could not maintain weir levels, they would be forced to cut the supply of water to a number of lakes, lagoons and wetlands. Would such an action be compatible with, and supported by, the national water plan? Given the current predictions for reduced inflows into the Murray-Darling, does the minister consider it likely that this will occur?

My question is to Senator Minchin, Minister representing the Prime Minister. Will the minister confirm a statement from a senior government source that, because it is important to look after people first, they will cut environmental flows so they can allocate more water to irrigators? How much water does the minister intend to take away from environmental flows to give to irrigators and is it true that they are considering draining wetlands to achieve this?

My question is to the Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell. I refer to the minister's decision to delay the addition of the Burrup Peninsula rock art province to the National Heritage List in order to carry out further consultation. Is the minister concerned that further destruction of rock art could occur during this period? Does the minister agree that, until such time as his decision is finalised, there should be no further destruction or disturbance of rock art or any other sites inside the proposed area for listing by the Australian Heritage Council?