Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Coal Seam Gas and Large Coal Mining Development) Bill 2012

The majority voted against a Greens amendment moved by Senator Larissa Waters.

Senator Waters explains that the amendment would "add public health and environmental impacts to the list of issues that the committee has to consider and advise the various ministers on".(Read the rest of Senator Waters contribution and the associated debate here. )

Background to the bill

The bill establishes an Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Coal Seam Gas and Large Coal Mining Development ('the Committee')(Read more about the Committee here. ) to provide federal, state and territory governments with scientific advice on coal seam gas and large coal mining developments which may have significant impacts on water resources.(See here for explanatory memoranda and proposed amendments.)

References