Doorstop, Brisbane

MURRAY WATT, MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER: Thanks everyone for coming along today on what's turned out to be a beautiful Brisbane day after a bit of storm clouds earlier this morning. Today and this week the Federal Parliament has a big opportunity to do something really special for the country. This week we are seeking to pass major changes to Australia's national environmental laws which are years overdue, are fundamentally broken and urgently need reform. It's about five years since Professor Graeme Samuel delivered his recommendations to the former Environment Minister Sussan Ley setting out a blueprint for reform for these laws and what Graeme Samuel said was that our current national environmental laws are fundamentally broken. They're failing the environment, they're failing business and they're failing the general community and that's why we need reform. So it's five years since Graeme Samuel handed down his blueprint and to date the Parliament has been unable to come together to pass these reforms. And what the Albanese Government is saying is that enough is enough. This week is the week to start making these changes to pass these reforms. Every day we delay passing these reforms is another day that we see our environment go backwards and that we see important projects like housing and renewables held up by endless red tape. And we have an opportunity to fix that this week. So really the message to both the Coalition and the Greens is that it is now or never. We have a blueprint for reform that was presented by Graeme Samuel that has now been passed through the House of Representatives and the only thing holding up those reforms being passed now is having the support of either the Coalition or the Greens to pass those reforms this week.

Now it's no accident that we've gathered today in the electorate of Ryan and can I thank the various Ryan Labor Party members and Labor's Environment Action Network members who are here supporting this today and who'll be joining me going out door knocking and letterboxing about this issue as the day goes on. We've deliberately chosen to do this event in the electorate of Ryan because it is of course now the only electorate held by the Greens Party in the House of Representatives anywhere across Australia. We saw in the last federal election that the Greens Party paid a very big political price for being seen by the Australian people to be blocking progress on important things like housing and environmental law reform. So there's a real opportunity for the Greens this week to demonstrate that they have heard the message from the Australian people, that they're not going to keep blocking progress, that they're not going to make the perfect the enemy of the good, and that they will work with Labor to pass these important reforms that will deliver significant benefits for our natural environment. Equally, there's an opportunity this week for the Coalition to just for one week see if they can focus on something other than who's going to be the leader of the Liberal Party. It has been difficult to conduct negotiations with the Coalition over the last couple of months when they've been completely distracted from these sorts of issues by their leadership struggles. This week we really need them to focus and to put those leadership battles aside to focus on the needs of the country, specifically the need for environmental law reform.

So as I say this is an important week for the Federal Parliament, it's an important week for the Australian people because this is the week that we can pass major changes that deliver a balanced package of reforms that deliver real wins both for the environment, for business and for the broader community. That's what Labor is going to be seeking to do and we want to see either the Coalition or the Greens work with us to make that happen. Happy to take any questions.

JOURNALIST: You've made offers to both the Coalition and the Greens. Who would you prefer to do a deal with?

MURRAY WATT: I’ve said all along that we're willing to pass these reforms with either the Coalition or the Greens, but what matters us more than anything else is that we come out of this week with reforms that deliver to both the environment and to business. It's not one or the other. Now, in the negotiations I’ve had with the Coalition, you wouldn't be surprised to hear that they're very focused on what business wants. When I’ve met with the Greens, they're very focused on what the environment needs. The truth is we need both of these things to happen, to get that balanced set of reforms that Graeme Samuel recommended. It's not one or the other, and in the end we will pass these reforms this week with whichever of the Coalition and the Greens is willing to work with us to deliver that balanced package that meets the needs of the environment and business.

JOURNALIST: But which way are you leaning? You mentioned the Greens first, you're hear in Ryan. It seems like with what's been talked about around concessions in the past couple of days, it seems like you're leaning toward a deal with the Greens. Would that be fair to say?

MURRAY WATT: I wouldn't put it that way. Yesterday I met again with both the Coalition and the Greens and we've conducted equal negotiations with each side throughout this process. As I say, I think it has been difficult for the Coalition to focus on these reforms and to listen to what the business community is telling them while they've been battling each other about the leadership, but equally, the Greens have got to be reasonable in terms of what they demand from us. We're not going to give in to every single thing that everyone wants. I’ve said all the way through this that no one's going to get everything they want. I'm not going to get everything I want because we're prepared make some amendments. I can confirm some of the news reports that we've seen this weekend where we have offered concessions to both the Coalition and the Greens, and that demonstrates we're prepared to be reasonable here. We're not prepared to give away everything in this bill. We are prepared to make some changes as long as they deliver to both the environment and to business. Anything else on EPBC?

JOURNALIST: Jim Chalmers has said that he would prefer to make a deal with a party that can be a party of government. If you do make a deal with the Greens, is there a chance that the Coalition if it wins government could wind back these important laws?

MURRAY WATT: Well, I guess that would be a matter for any future Coalition government to decide. But what I'm very confident of is that the package that we pass through the Parliament will deliver big gains for business as well as for the environment. So for argument's sake, if we were to pass the laws with the Greens, there will still be very big gains for business. Equally, if we were to pass the laws with the support of the Coalition, there will be very big gains for the environment as well. It's all about getting that balanced package from Labor's point of view, and I'm confident we can do that.

JOURNALIST: Are you concerned if there is that concession - if the Greens go for it and there's that concession on logging, are you concerned about backlash from some of the logging Premiers?

MURRAY WATT: No, I'm not. I mean, we have had discussions with the forestry industry about these reforms and we have talked with them about the fact that Graeme Samuel recommended that we apply the National Environmental Standards to the Regional Forestry Agreements under which native forestry occurs. When Tanya Plibersek was the Environment Minister, she committed to apply the standards. Since I’ve been the Minister, I’ve committed to apply the standards. And if you look back to the last term, you'll see that the forestry industry said that they were okay with applying the standards to Regional Forestry Agreements. So I think that there's a way that we can make the changes that are needed to native forestry to ensure that they meet the kind of environmental standards that people would expect and that apply to every other industry. I’ve made very clear to the Greens that we won't be ending native forestry altogether and we won't be ending Regional Forestry Agreements but we are prepared to adopt that recommendation from Graeme Samuel which would see the national environment standards applied to regional forestry agreements in the same way that they do to mining, to housing development and every other industry.

JOURNALIST: Minister, why won't the Federal Government come to the table and assist Queensland councils accessing flood data from BOM once the existing program is removed?

MURRAY WATT: So this issue does have some history that goes well beyond not just me being the Minister but also beyond the election of the Albanese Government. For several years now, what I'm advised that the BOM has been working with local councils about the fact that a piece of software that the BOM and councils have used in the past regarding rainfall levels would be reaching the end of its life and that the BOM would need to move to new software. What the BOM has done is offer a number of different options to councils. They could choose, if they wanted to, to purchase the software in the same way the BOM has done, the new software. Equally, they could use the data that's freely available on the BOM website, so that option is available to them as well. Different councils will make different decisions. Some councils, I'm advised, have decided to purchase new software in the same way the BOM has. Other councils have decided that they want to rely on the free information that's available on the BOM website. So I'm not going to dictate to each council what they should do. It's a matter for them to work out but there are a number of options available.

JOURNALIST: Can you understand though, Minister, they're already under cost pressures. They've received this service free of charge from the BOM for many, many years and now they're asking to pay money they say they can't afford to keep their community safe?

MURRAY WATT: Yeah, obviously I have great concern about public safety and I have great concern about making sure that through the BOM we provide reliable information to councils and to the public generally. The issue is that the Federal Government invests hundreds of millions of dollars in the BOM every single year. I have seen some reports that councils don't want to pay $20,000 or $30,000 a year to purchase software in the same way the BOM has. I think when you weigh up the Federal Government's investment in these sorts of activities versus $20,000 or $30,000, it's not a huge amount to ask of councils. And as I say, there are free options available to them by relying on the information that's available on the BOM website.

JOURNALIST: Can you just clarify that point, please? Is that free data less data than what they would otherwise pay for on a subscription?

MURRAY WATT: The advice that I’ve received from the BOM is that they can receive through the BOM website for free the type of information that they have been used to be get through that other form of software that's available. That's the advice I’ve had from the BOM.

JOURNALIST: David Littleproud says that there should be consequences after revelations that the new BOM website cost $96 million, more than previously thought. What's your response to that?

MURRAY WATT: Yeah, look, I don't think it's any secret that I haven't been happy with the way the BOM has handled its transition to a new website. I understand that it was necessary to have a new website because the previous website was having major cyber security risks attached to it and we don't want to see that sort of thing happen. But you will have seen that at the time this became a massive public issue, I did meet with the acting CEO of the BOM and made clear to him that I didn't think their actions had met public expectations. We've since had a new CEO of the BOM start. He's been in the job a touch over a week. In that week, I’ve already met with him twice. I met with him on his first day and I met with him again in the week just gone past to outline again that I think the BOM hasn't met public expectations both in terms of the performance of the website and the cost of the website. So I’ve asked him as his first priority to make sure that he can get on top of the issues with the website, the functionality, and I'm pleased to see that they've made changes. But I have also asked him to get on top of how we got to this position with this cost, with the problems that have been involved in the website. He's only been in the job a week or so, so he needs a little bit of time to get on top of that. But I think my expectations have been made pretty clear.

JOURNALIST: Do you agree that it was sheer waste of money to spend $96 million on that new website?

MURRAY WATT: I think it is important that we have websites and information available to the public that is of the highest quality standard and that gives the public the information that they need particularly around natural disasters which we're starting to see already in the country. So before leaping to judgement I want to see what the new CEO of the BOM has been able to establish as to the reasons for those cost increases and I'll make my judgement at that point in time.

JOURNALIST: The website won't revert though to the old system will it? It will continue to be the new website perhaps with some tweaks to make it more user friendly?

MURRAY WATT: Well, there is a new website for the BOM and as I say that had to happen because there were massive cyber security risks around the old website and it wouldn't have been responsible to just keep going with the old website facing those risks. But you will have seen that in response to the public feedback and in response to my request to the acting CEO, the BOM has made some changes to its website to deliver the kind of functionality that people were expecting. They've committed to make more and I encourage Australians to keep providing their feedback to the BOM about the new website and ways that it can be improved.

JOURNALIST: When you say cyber security risks, I suppose it's not really the kind of website like Medicare, Medibank, those kinds of things where people's personal data are necessarily on there. But was the concern from the Government that it could be taken down and then essentially we'd be flying blind?

MURRAY WATT: Well, you'd probably need to get some information from the BOM about the exact nature of those cyber security risks but the issue in broad terms was that there was an increasing risk that those with malintent or bad intent would have the ability to hack into that website. And as I say, we know that Australians expect reliable information about what is going on with the weather. We've got enough climate deniers and misinformation peddlers out there in the Federal Coalition about climate change and the weather without Australia's trusted Bureau of Meteorology being threatened with some kind of cyber-attack as well. So that was the primary reason for moving to that new website.

JOURNALIST: Are you talking to the CEO as well about the app because I understand at the moment in the severe weather season you do often hear the BOM spokespeople referring to people saying look at the app, check the app, however there are often discrepancies between the app and the website in terms of forecasts. The forecast aren't necessarily updated as frequently as the website and so people are potentially getting old information through the app. Are you asking the CEO to look into that?

MURRAY WATT: What I have talked with the CEO about is that one of the objectives of this new website as well as dealing with those cyber security issues was also to try to make it align more closely with the information that's on the app. Increasingly, people are relying on the BOM app rather than going to the website itself. Of course, we have an interest in making sure that people are getting consistent information, whether they're choosing the website or the app. And as I say, the advice to me from the BOM is that one of the things they are trying to do is to make sure that there is closer alignment between those two things.

JOURNALIST: Is it problematic though, we're already in the summer storm season, sending people to the app knowing that there are discrepancies between that and the website? Even the radar as well. There's been for quite a while some of the severe weather on the radar doesn't show up on the app versus it does on the website.

MURRAY WATT: Look, what I would say is that of course we want to see as much consistency as possible between the information that's being provided by the BOM, whichever source it is that people use. That is what the BOM are seeking to do. I encourage them to keep working on that and as further changes are required, I'm very confident they'll make it.

JOURNALIST: One more on EPBC. If you do make a deal with the Coalition, do you then give up on the offer of a native forestry lobby?

MURRAY WATT: That will be a matter for the Coalition. As I say, the discussions that we've had the forestry industry at a national level indicate to us that they are comfortable with the concept of applying national environment standards to RFAs. I would like to think that the Federal Coalition would listen to the views of the forestry industry on that and if the industry is comfortable with it, that the Federal Coalition would be comfortable with it as well. So I would like to think that we could get support from both sides of Parliament for that, but it'll be up to the Federal Coalition.

JOURNALIST: How do you put the chances of the deal this week? Will it be done and dusted?

MURRAY WATT: I'm very confident we will get the laws passed week. We’ve been working very hard on this obviously for a few months since I’ve been in the role but this goes back five years and as I’ve said a number of times in the last week my message to the Coalition and the Greens is that we will be passing these reforms this week. So if they want to be part of it, the door is open. It's going to be happening by the time we re-join you back on Sunday, if we do next week.

JOURNALIST: Minister, the Queensland Government's pushing Cricket Australia to bring the first test back to The Gabba before it's demolished. What's your view on it? It's a pretty critical thing, isn't it?

MURRAY WATT: Well, as a Queenslander, I'm a big fan of the “Gabbatoir” when it comes to the first test. I mean, what we saw in Perth was the kind of result that you would expect to see in The Gabba in the first two days, winning in the first two days, but I think all Australians know that a test, a first test held at The Gabba generally produces good result for Australia. We're the home team. Why wouldn't we want the best place to have it? And the best place is The Gabba.

JOURNALIST: Minister, also, Victoria Park, there is a legal challenge there. The paperwork's obviously all, you know, with the Federal Government at the moment. Can you give us an update on where that's up to? Are you close to making a decision on the First Nations issues there?

MURRAY WATT: Yeah. Look, you're right. We have received applications from, I believe, three different parties seeking declarations around cultural heritage at that site. My department is considering those at this point in time and to my knowledge no advice has been provided to me with a final recommendation but look, I understand that Queenslanders to have some certainty about this issue and we will certainly make those decisions as quickly as we can. But we also want to make them in a legally robust way to ensure that they would hold up if there was to be any legal challenge to those decisions.

JOURNALIST: Do you know what the timeline is for making a decision there? Or is there a deadline?

MURRAY WATT: There's no deadline. I couldn't give you a precise timeline, but what I can say is that we're conscious that people would like to see an outcome, whichever side of the debate they're on, and we'll move as quickly as we can.

JOURNALIST: Could it drag on for years, potentially?

MURRAY WATT: I don't think so.

JOURNALIST: Can work start at the Park, Minister, before your department comes back and you make a decision?

MURRAY WATT: Well, my understanding, and I'm probably a few days out of date here but my understanding is that some of the early works that were occurring have paused for the moment. Things like drilling for soil samples and things like that, some of the early preparatory works. As I say I could be a little bit out of date on that because that's a few days ago so my understanding was that there had been a pause to that work while the application for an emergency declaration was being considered. So that's the first step here is to consider whether an emergency declaration to pause work is required prior to a determination of the longer-term issues around cultural heritage there. So I would be very hopeful that we could reach a decision at least on the emergency declaration matter as soon as possible because I recognise that there are time frames to be met around these projects as well.

JOURNALIST: So they are allowed to keep, sorry, are they allowed to keep going with their soil sampling while that's decided or they just can't go further than soil sampling?

MURRAY WATT: My understanding, and again I'm a few days out of date on this, I’ve been a little bit focused on EPBC, my understanding is that the Games Committee - Venues Committee voluntarily decided to pause those drilling samples pending a decision around an emergency declaration. If there was an emergency declaration made, and that decision has not been made yet, but if there were to be an emergency declaration then that would pause work for a period of time pending the final decision to be made. So it's sort of a two-step process if you like.

JOURNALIST: And so was the request to make an emergency declaration only made in the last week or two?

MURRAY WATT: No, that goes back a couple of weeks now. So that's being looked at the moment. The other thing I can say to you is that as part of this process, whatever state it's occurring in, the Federal Minister writes to State Ministers to consult them about the prospect of making an emergency declaration and I'm sure the Queensland Government will provide their response to us in due course as well.

JOURNALIST: Is there a legislative time frame that you've got to make a decision on that application or?

MURRAY WATT: No, there’s not. But again, we recognise that we need a decision made soon.

JOURNALIST: Thank you.

MURRAY WATT: Great. Thanks everyone, thanks for coming along.