QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator WATERS (Queensland—Leader of the Australian Greens) (14:45): My question is to the Minister for the Environment and Water, Senator Watt. Woodside's proposed Browse gas project would release 1.6 billion tonnes of climate pollution over its lifetime, the equivalent of four years of Australia's total current emissions. It's the carbon bomb to feed the North West Shelf and would threaten the pristine Scott Reef, pygmy blue whales and green turtles.

New carbon attribution evidence shows that these emissions will directly contribute to mass coral bleaching events that each kill up to 30 million coral communities on the Great Barrier Reef. The evidence is clear: it doesn't matter where the gas is burned. The impact of climate change on nature must be considered.

Minister, will you listen and commit to properly assessing Browse's massive climate impacts on our precious Great Barrier Reef?