Lucas Heights Waste Management Centre

The Hon. JOHN AJAKA: My question without notice is directed to the Minister for Climate Change and the Environment. Is the Minister aware that at present the State-owned WSN Environmental Solutions firm is the only approved operator of the Lucas Heights waste depot, which is the only tip in the southern Sydney region? Will the Minister explain how under these conditions he has encouraged competition in the tendering process for the waste processing contracts of southern Sydney councils? Will the Government give all tenderers access to the Lucas Heights tip on the same terms and conditions as are presently available to WSN Environmental Solutions?

The Hon. JOHN ROBERTSON: I am always pleased to be asked questions about the environment and climate change, particularly by a member of the Opposition. Today is a particularly significant day because as a result of the current debate in Canberra about a carbon pollution reduction scheme today we will see the credentials of the Coalition on the environment. The Coalition asks questions in this Chamber about the environment in an attempt to take the high moral ground. But it is interesting that debate continues within the Coalition ranks in Canberra about whether to support a carbon pollution reduction scheme.

The New South Wales Labor Government is supportive of a carbon pollution reduction scheme. Members on the other side claim that they are concerned about the environment. As I have said previously and I will say again, they should go to ABC iView on the Internet and listen to the comments that Senator Nick Minchin made in the Four Corners program. Better still, today Andrew Robb emerged, having dragged himself back to Canberra to oppose the carbon pollution reduction scheme. The Coalition asks questions about that scheme, about solar bonus schemes and the like or they ask questions about waste services and what we will do about access and competition. The fact is that this afternoon the nail might well be hammered into the coffin of the Coalition because when it comes to the environment the Coalition has no credibility.

The Hon. Duncan Gay: Point of order: My point of order relates to relevance. The Minister may have been hoping for a question about Canberra but the question he was asked was not about Canberra; it was about waste and Lucas Heights. I request that you ask the Minister to be relevant to the question that was asked.

The PRESIDENT: Order! I ask that the Minister be generally relevant.

The Hon. JOHN ROBERTSON: I will be generally relevant. The fact is that the question relates to my portfolio of Climate Change and the Environment. I understand that Wilson Tuckey has now called for a spill! The Coalition has zero credibility when it comes to asking any questions about the environment when it tries to take the high moral ground.

The Hon. Duncan Gay: Point of order: The question was a discrete question on a New South Wales issue. This is the New South Wales Legislative Council and the Minister is a Minister of the New South Wales Government. I request that you ask the Minister to answer the question regarding New South Wales waste issues.

The PRESIDENT: Order! I ask that the Minister be generally relevant to the question that was asked.

The Hon. JOHN ROBERTSON: In regard to the detail, I will take it on notice and get back to the member.