Senator SINGH (Tasmania) (11:35): Labor supports Senator Ludwig's private senator's bill—the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment Bill—because this government cannot or will not take action on this issue of national importance. I remember that the powers that Labor used to stop the first supertrawler were opposed by Tony Abbott and the coalition, and I note that Australia's fisheries are still threatened by this government's inaction on supertrawlers. Despite that, the Prime Minister had the gall to say, when he did not support the original bill proposed when we were in government, that it was banned with the support of members on this side of the house. Senator Macdonald comes into this place full of vitriol, in his usual aggressive, emotional style of contributing in the Senate. Heaven help anyone listening on the radio or on the internet. It was a complete tirade, although I am not sure that Senator Macdonald was aware of the bill before us. The bill does talk about science—it does talk about the need for more scientific research. The fact that Senator Macdonald is even referring to science for the first time in his life is surprising in itself. Because we know that when it comes to climate change and areas of global warming and the environment—and we are talking about the environment of our oceans in this bill—that Senator Macdonald completely denies any science on the record. He does not want to accept the science. We have heard him through many hours of budget estimates and many times in this place where his contributions have denied the science, yet today he wants to use science as a reason to continue allowing the activities of supertrawlers in our ocean areas. Australia needs to be able to control the activities of future supertrawlers. Why? Because we need to ensure that our oceans, our recreational fishers and businesses are protected and that they have certainty. The fishing groups, environmental groups and the community at large—thousands upon thousands of them, who Senator Macdonald chooses to ignore—made their objection to this issue very clear. Of course Labor listened to their concerns at that time, but we went further to say that we need to have more scientific review and more research into these issues. That is why there was a two-year ban on supertrawler activity. We know there is a gap in the system when it comes to the powers of the environment and fisheries ministers to consider new commercial fishing vessels before they arrive and begin to fish. This bill, for the knowledge of Senator Macdonald and those on the other side, will restore those tough powers to the environment minister to act where new types of fishing operations seek to work in Australia and where uncertainty exists about their conduct and their impact. Goodness knows the environment minister needs some new powers, because he certainly has not shown that he has any power in any other part of his environment portfolio. In fact, he has been missing in action when it comes to renewable energy, climate change, threatened and endangered species, marine reserves and basically every single component of his portfolio. This bill actually gives the environment minister a little bit of power, so that he can start to act in his own portfolio. It focuses very much on addressing that uncertainty that is related to so-called supertrawler vessels. It provides for a scientific process to occur for up to two years, providing for an expert panel to consider the impacts of the new venture if it is declared. This will provide the community, recreational fishers and businesses alike with a certainty if these declared activities are to operate in Australian waters. This is a very sensible, precautionary approach. It will allow community and environment groups, together with business, to work with the scientific experts' panel to assess the true impacts of new and large-scale fishing operations—a very sensible approach as a means of dealing with supertrawlers. These amendments give the government of the day the power to declare a particular type of fishing activity which has not been used in Australia previously and around which some uncertainty exists to ensure proper and thorough expert scientific work is conducted. This very necessary legislation will allow the government to stop new supertrawlers before they come to Australia, as Labor did in office. In government, Labor introduced those strong powers to protect the environment, to respect the rights of recreational fishers and to provide that certainty to business. I note that Senator Whish-Wilson drew upon the work of the Global Ocean Commission, and I think that it is important to recognise its report on the state of the world's oceans in the context of this bill. The state of the world's oceans is significant when we talk about climate change, and that again has an impact on our fishing stocks. However, I was slightly disappointed that, at the recent UN climate change summit, oceans did not feature as significantly as they should have in talking about climate change and its effects on our oceans and on the species living in our oceans. When Labor introduced these sensible powers in September 2012 to act against new commercial fishing vessels, the amendments were opposed by both the Liberal and National Parties. I have welcomed reports that the New Zealand fishing company, Sealord, has retreated from its plan of sending the 104-metre factory trawler Meridian 1 to my home state of Tasmania's deep-sea fisheries this summer. I think these are positive reports, and very good news for Tasmania's recreational fishing community, local fishing companies and of course the marine environment organisations, as well as the Blue Grenadier fishery. The fish itself has only one known spawning ground off western Tasmania, and its range is predicted to contract due to that region's global warming hotspot—where ocean waters are warming at three times the global average. Again, that is noted in some of the work that the Global Ocean Commission is doing. It has also been reported that Sealord remains determined to send the Meridian1 to Tasmania next summer, where it will equal the record of the biggest—I repeat, the biggest—vessel ever to fish in Australian waters, so I remain concerned that this reprieve will only be temporary. However, if the Prime Minister listens to the rogue parliamentary secretary, Senator Richard Colbeck, who wants the government to revert to its original position in favour of supertrawlers but who clearly is not representing Tasmania— Senator Back: On a point of order, Mr Deputy President: I think Senator Singh is reflecting on her parliamentary colleague Senator Colbeck when she uses the word 'rogue'. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: I am listening carefully. At this point in time, I do not think there is a point of order, but I remind all senators to observe the standing orders when making their contributions in the chamber. Senator SINGH: There are a number of adjectives from the Macquarie and Oxford dictionaries frequently used in this place that, as colourful as they may seem, are often very appropriate when describing senators on the other side—and on many occasions you use them about us, Senator Back. In June this year, Senator Colbeck went on the record as a strident cheerleader for factory vessels, despite the promises made in March by his Prime Minister and by Senator Eric Abetz to maintain their government's support for the ban on supertrawlers in Australian waters. Clearly, then, there is division within the coalition on this issue—even amongst Liberal senators from my home state. Senator Bushby interjecting— Senator SINGH: I am not sure what Senator's Bushby's position is—whether he is with Senator Abetz or Senator Colbeck on this issue—but clearly they are all over the place. Some members of the government disagree with Senator Colbeck and say that they support the ban on supertrawlers, but unfortunately their lack of action belies their words. The government have refused to act to protect our fisheries, stand up for recreational fishers or provide industry with any certainty, so it is up to Labor to act. It does surprise me how the government can ignore the pleas from recreational fishers, the community and environment groups. I am sure the government have heard from thousands of community members and have seen the Facebook pages protesting against these supertrawlers. It is similar, I think, to the way they ignored community protests about their proposed changes to the Racial Discrimination Act: the 5,000 submissions and the thousands of expressions of concern from the community. They were willing for some time—until it suited them not to—to ignore community wishes on that issue as well. Overfishing in the North Sea and the South Pacific has been well documented for some time, and it is supertrawlers that have caused that overfishing. I urge senators to watch, if they have not already, a very important documentary by Rupert Murray called The End of the Line. It highlights the devastating effect that overfishing has had on the world's fish populations—the fact that fishing is occurring at an unsustainable rate. A lot of research has demonstrated that trawling is severely damaging fishing stocks. I think this film was the first major documentary to look closely at the impacts of overfishing on the world's oceans. It highlighted that a quarter of the world's fish stocks are being exploited to extinction and that a further half of the world's fish stocks are under significant pressure. It also highlighted that well-known species, such as cod and bluefin tuna, were likely to be extinct by 2048—and once they are gone, they are gone. That is why we need more scientific research before we just open the door and let supertrawlers come into the Bass Strait. We need to recognise what has already occurred in the North Sea and the South Pacific—and probably elsewhere around the world. That is why we have this bill before us and that is why Labor is urging the government to support it. The current ban is due to expire on 11 November. The pressure is growing on the government to make good the Prime Minister's words and to support Senator Ludwig's bill—to put those strong powers to protect the environment in place before any more supertrawlers come to Australia. The indecision of the Prime Minister is risking a high-value commercial fishery in south-east Australia, a fishery with an estimated gross annual production of $11 million. Given the government has failed to act and given its frightening inability to keep its word—on anything, I have to say—it is sensible for these powers to be restored. Labor understands that a healthy Australian environment will always be the basis of a growing, well-managed Australian economy, and only Labor will protect our oceans, respect our fisheries and provide certainty to the fishing community, the environment and business. That is why this bill is before us. We know the history; we know the journey. I have related some of the history of what has occurred with supertrawlers in other parts of the world. We do need further research and we do need to invest further in the science before we just allow open slather, before we open the door for supertrawler access to our seas and oceans. It is the right thing to do for our environment, the right thing to do for our fishing community and the right thing to do for business and our economy. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Order! The time for this debate has expired.