QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator WATT (Queensland—Minister for the Environment and Water) (14:30): Thanks, Senator, for the follow-up question. As Senator Wong has just mentioned, what we've said all along—I'll give you the credit. What we've always said is that we are willing to pass these reforms with the support of either the coalition or the Greens.

We are confident that we can get laws through this chamber with the support of either the coalition or the Greens that actually do deliver those benefits to the environment and business that we are seeking to achieve. I've seen some of the comments from Senator Hanson-Young and the Greens claiming that the bill that we're introducing will make the environment worse.

They clearly haven't looked at the bill, because what this bill will do is, for the first time, create a national environment protection agency with real teeth to crack down on those who are doing the wrong thing. Sounds better for the environment to me! It will deliver new national environmental standards that our country has never had before.

It will strengthen the penalties that are dished out to wrongdoers. How can that be against the environment's interests? You people are just interested in stunts.

(Time expired) The PRESIDENT: Senator Hanson-Young, second supplementary?